UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


POEMS  OF  REVOLT 

AND 

SATAN  UNBOUND 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 

AN   ISEULT   IDYLL 

DELILAH 
LOVE'S    TESTAMENT 


POEMS    OF    REVOLT 


AND 


SATAN    UNBOUND 


By 


G.  CONSTANT   LOUNSBERY 


NEW  YORK 

MOFFAT,  YARD   AND   COMPANY 
1911 


COPYRIGHT,  1911,  BY 

MOFFAT,  YARD  AND  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK 


All  Rights  Reserved 
Published,  September,  igir 


THE  QUINN  A  BOOEN  CO.  PRESS 
KAHWAY,  N,  4, 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INVOCATION 3 

THE  HOUSE  OF  HOPE 5 

ODE  TO  AMERICA  .......         7 

THE  BEGGARS        ..'-''.         .         .         .         .         .         8 

THE  PRISONER       .         .         .         .         .         .         .10 

BETRAYED 14 

MATERNITY 16 

THE  CURSE j        .         .       17 

To  FRANCE  .  19 

LINES  TO  A  ROMAN  TEMPLE          .         .         .         .19 

LES  MARCHANDES  D' AMOUR 20 

CALL  OF  THE  NIGHT     .         .         ....       22 

HYMN  TO  THE  FOREST          .         ....       23 

WORK .24 

AUTUMN  DIRGE 25 

HOMELESS  (Lullaby) 26 

SPRING  SONG 28 

A  POET'S  GRAVE 28 

THE  SECRET 30 

THE  FUTURE         .         .        .  .        .        .31 

SATAN  UNBOUND   .        .        .        .        .        .33 


402646 


POEMS  OF  KEVOLT 


POEMS  OF  REVOLT 


o   o 


INVOCATION 

O  THOU  Mother,  and  mistress,  and  muse, 
Through  the  desperate  days  of  the  year, 
When  the  ghosts  of  dead  hours  haunt  the  hearth, 
With  compassion  and  comfort  be  near. 

In  the  whip  of  a  merciless  wind, 
How  the  world  with  its  weariness  writhes, 
While  the  barren  tree  silently  points 
To  the  fugitive  moon  in  the  skies. 

All  my  heart  is  an  ember  consumed, 
And  my  youth  is  a  garment  outworn, 
For  the  roses  of  love  that  is  fled, 
In  the  present  have  put  forth  a  thorn. 

In  the  pitfalls  and  snares  of  the  past 
I  have  fallen,  and  sinned  against  thee, 
I  have  bowed  to  the  yoke  of  the  world, 
I  thy  poet,  thy  chosen,  born  free. 

3 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

I  have  clothed  me  in  manifold  lies 
That  my  days  might  be  wrapped  in  their  ease, 
I  have  hated  thy  truth,  I  have  strayed 
Through  the  perilous  pathways  of  peace. 

I  have  murmured  the  maxims  of  men 
With  the  lazy  indulgence  of  slaves, 
I  have  walked  with  the  fool,  I  have  hid 
From  thy  light  in  the  dark  of  thy  caves. 

I  have  said,  "  They  are  legion,  alas, 
"  Shall  I  war  with  impossible  things, 
"  Shall  I  follow  the  path  of  the  sun, 
"  To  the  sound  of  invisible  wings  ?  " 

"  For  men  move  as  the  universe  moves 
"  In  a  circle  that  does  not  advance, 
"  Shall  I  tilt  with  our  destiny,  dare 
"  Kisk  the  delicate  shaft  of  my  lance  ?  " 

But  the  hope  of  my  heart  has  betrayed 
All  the  reasoned  reflection  of  man, 
Shall  the  soldier  seek  peace  at  the  hearth 
When  the  battle  cry  rouses  the  van? 

In  the  night,  in  the  terrible  night 
Comes  the  moaning  and  mourning  of  men ; 
And  the  sound  of  the  serpent  of  Strife, 
Like  the  hissing  of  snakes  in  a  den. 

4 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

For  in  heaven,  alas,  is  no  god 

While  a  victim  is  writhing  in  hell, 

Yea,  and  who  shall  cry  out  in  his  pride, 

"  Though  the  world  weep,  with  me  all  is  well " 

Therefore,  out  of  the  rapture  of  rest, 
I  who  fled  am  returned  unto  thee, 
With  a  song  and  the  sword  thou  hast  blest 
To  do  battle,  till  all  men  be  free. 

Even  were  it  a  dream,  then  the  dream 
Is  in  truth  worth  a  cycle  of  pain. 
Who  shall  say  that  the  sun  shall  not  gleam 
Behind  torrents  and  tempests  of  rain! 


o   o 


THE  HOUSE  OF  HOPE 

STRANGER,  what  house  in  the  dark  of  the  night 
Looms  like  a  castle  that  harbors  delight, 
Girded  with  garlands,  and  smilingly  dressed, 
Glowing  with  warmth  like  a  haven  of  rest, 
Say  then  what  Goddess,  what  mortal  so  blessed 
Holds  this  dominion  in  fee  to  her  might  ? 

This  is  the  House  of  Hope,  all  may  behold, 
Welcome,  the  watchword,  the  passport  of  old, 
Beggar  and  pauper  and  poet  within 

5 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

Feast  in  their  glory  and  pray  for  their  sin. 
All  who  escape  from  despair  here  may  win 
Welcome  and  warmth  and  a  friend  in  the  fold. 

High  in  her  tower  sits  Hope  at  her  loom 

Saving  the  victims  of  Life  from  their  doom, 

High  in  the  tower  a  light  that  shall  shine 

Dimming  the  darkness  a  signal  and  sign. 

Tended  by  Hope  like  a  vestal  divine 

Glowing  with  Beauty  that  burns  through  the  gloom. 

High  in  the  tower  she  sits,  and  she  sings 
Songs  of  her  fashioning,  songs  that  have  wings 
Slumbering  sorrow,  and  songs  whence  joy  springs; 
Dreams  too  she  weaves  of  a  justice  for  man, 
Dreams  of  a  world  that  the  future  shall  plan 
Hope  to  the  outcast  her  pitying  brings. 

She  alone  feeds  with  her  hand  liberty, 
She  alone  bids  man  endure,  to  be  free, 
She  alone  lights  and  leads  humanity. 
Prisoner,  sorrower,  dreamer,  take  heart, 
Lend  her  your  loyalty,  stand  ye  apart, 
Battle,  my  brothers,  for  ye,  and  for  me. 


POEMS  OF  REVOLT 


ODE  TO  AMERICA 

COUNTEY,  my  country,  superb  in  thy  pride, 

Towering  with  mountains,  and  wooed  of  the  tide, 

Lulled  to  the  lure  of  a  thunderous  lyre 

As  the  wind  sweeps  thy  forests  with  fingers  of  fire, 

Shining  with  cities  that  sparkle  their  light 

Dazzling  as  stars  in  the  skirts  of  the  night. 

Marvellous,  multiple,  marching  along, 

Oh,  take  heed  and  beware  of  the  sob  in  thy  song ! 

Since  thou  art  hailed  as  the  land  of  the  free, 
Who  are  the  thousands  that  march  listlessly, 
Eyes  full  of  anger  and  hate  on  each  face, 
Of  what  nation  are  they  and  what  race  is  their  race  ? 
Whence  come  these  slaves,  and  what  terrible  foe 
Casts  on  our  shores  all  its  wreckage  of  woe  ? 
Tell  me,  ye  weary,  whence  come  ye,  and  why 
Are  ye  like  a  brute  herd  that  is  led  forth  to  die  ? 

"  Starving  and  stricken  with  fever  and  want, 

"  Broken  with  bitterness,  weary  of  cant, 

"  We  are  thy  children  who  seek,  who  demand 

"  Either  freedom  to  live  or  to  die  by  thy  hand. 

"  Mammon,  a  monster  of  terrible  greed, 

"  Tramples  our  ranks,  and  makes  sport  of  our  need, 

"  Many  are  idle,  and  many  in  pain 

"  For  the  labor  that  cripples  them  cry  out  in  vain !  " 

7 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

Country,  my  country,  the  sun  on  thy  brow, 
Sacred  and  strong,  sets  the  seal  of  thy  vow. 
Where  is  thy  help,  and  what  might  is  thy  might 
If  the  babe  thou  hast  reared  is  to  die  in  thy  sight  ? 
Gird  thee,  awake  thee,  come  down  from  thy  lair, 
Famine  devours,  greed  befouls  what  was  fair. 
Hallow  the  vow  that  was  born  of  thy  breath 
Lest  there  be  desolation,  destruction  and  death. 

Did  not  the  mountains  take  heed  and  give  ear, 
Did  not  the  forests,  majestic,  austere, 
Murmur  with  multiple  leaves  "  Liberty  " 
And  the  shore  whisper  it  to  the  pulsating  sea  ? 
Did  not  the  nations  of  all  men  rejoice, 
Heartened  with  happiness,  hearing  thy  voice? 
Is  it  not  treasured  deep  down  in  thy  caves 
And  the  sea  has  it  not  hid  thy  word  in  her  waves? 

o   o 

THE  BEGGARS 

SOEDID  stroller  of  the  street, 
Eyes  of  hunger,  shuffling  feet, 
What  have  I  to  do  with  thee 
And  thy  trailing  misery — ? 

Take  this  pittance,  turn  away, 
Go  thy  aimless,  angry  way, 
Dull  resentment  in  thy  mind 
Smouldering  against  mankind. 

8 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

Why,  within  my  secret  room, 
Through  the  softly-scented  gloom, 
By  the  fireside's  glint  and  glow, 
Steals  the  vision  of  thy  woe? 

Say  what  wrong  did  I  to  thee 
To  endure  thy  misery? 

Who  art  thou,  and  who  am  I? 
Does  some  deep  affinity 
Bid  me  hear  thy  baffled  cry, 
Smite  me  with  thine  agony? 

Not  the  very  lips  of  love, 
Murmuring,  are  heard  above 
That  wild  weeping  in  the  night, 
Shivering  our  vain  delight. 

/  beseech  thee,  take  from  me 
Thy  intruding  misery! 

Thou  hast  stricken  my  content, 
Joy  before  thee  steals  away, 
Happiness,  the  heaven  sent, 
Hungering  is  held  at  bay. 

Wreck  of  wandering  weariness, 
Mine,  the  blight  of  thy  distress 
Turning  here,  and  turning  there, 
I  behold  thee  everywhere! 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

Lift  thy  curse,  the  curse  from  me, 
Beggar,  of  thy  misery! 

Hollow,  haggard,  in  the  glass 
Thy  face  is  my  face,  alas! 
Beggar,  thou  art  one  with  me, 
One  with  my  humanity — ! 

O     O 

THE  PRISONER 

(To  the  author  of  "A  Ballad  of  Reading  Gaol 
and  "  The  Soul  of  Man  Under  Socialism  ") 

No  jailer  sits  before  the  door, 

No  turnkey  shouts,  "  All's  Well," 

No  sentry  paces  up  the  floor, 

No  bugle,   and   no  bell 

Rings  its  commands  to  fettered  hands, 

My  jail  is  wide  as  Hell. 

Behind  the  scars  of  iron -bars, 

That  stripe  the  light  of  day, 

They  have  not  cast  a  man  to  shame, 

Nor  hidden  me  away, 

I  bear  an  all  untarnished  name 

Upon  my  prison  way. 

10 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

I  wear  a  well  known  uniform, 

We  count  a  million  men, 

Who  march  the  street  from  night  to  morn, 

From  morn  to  night  again. 

Each  in  the  rags  that  are  our  tags, 

Our  livery  of  scorn. 

Despair  we  call  our  corporal, 

Our  marshall,  Poverty! 

We  have  no  muster,  no  roll  call, 

Too  numerous  are  we; 

And  some  are  short,  and  some  are  tall, 

But  all  are  sad  to  see. 

No  daily  rations  are  our  fare, 

]STo  water  and  no  bread, 

We  feed  upon  God's  own  pure  air, 

The  statesmen  find  us  fed! 

If  we  complain,  alas  in  vain, 

We  soon  are  quieted. 

They  hang  the  murderer  with  mirth, 

And  then  they  cut  him  down, 

They  give  him  six  feet  two  of  earth, 

Here  in  the  crowded  town. 

In  vain  through  life,  I  seek  with  strife 

A  square  foot  of  my  own. 

I  thought,  his  sleep  is  sweet  and  deep, 

I  envied  him  his  rest, 

Alas,  the  priest  cried,  "  Watch  and  weep, 

11 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

"  What,  would  you  die  unblessed  ? 
"  The  suicide  shall  sorrow  reap 
"  In  hell  all  unconfessed." 

And  then  I  climbed  the  prison  wall, 
It  was  well  kept  within, 
There  each  man  sat  at  even  fall, 
Well  guarded  for  his  sin, 
Each  had  a  bed,  a  loaf  of  bread, 
Would  I  could  such  fare  win. 

I  cried,  "  O  prison,  shelter  me !  " 
The  guard  cried,  "  Get  along." 
"I  am  a  criminal."     "We'll  see!" 
"  What  have  you  done  that's  wrong  ?  " 
The  magistrate  said,  grim  as  fate, 
"  He's  giving  us  a  song !  " 

"  Contempt  of  court ;  ten  shillings,  sir, 
"  Or  ten  days,  take  your  choice — " 
My  brain  was  in  a  perfect  whirr. 
"  Ten  days !  "  joy  broke  my  voice. 
"  Hard  labor  too's  the  cure  for  you — " 
A  job !  0  boys,  rejoice ! 

I've  got  a  job,  that  none  can  rob, 

A  week  of  honest  toil, 

The  bath,  the  bed  don't  cost  a  bob, 

A  book  by  Conan  Doyle. 

God !  after  that — I  choked  a  sob, 

I'll  sleep  on  harder  soil. 

12 


POEMS  OF  REVOLT 

Up  spoke  a  youngster,  "  I  protest, 

"  Your  Honor,  let  him  go, 

"  I'll  pay  his  fine—"     "  Perhaps  'tis  best, 

"  Discharged !  "     My   luck,   you  know. 

"  Thank  God,"  said  he,  "  for  liberty!  " 

/  stood  out  in  the  snow ! 

The  wind  goes  swinging  down  the  street, 

The  wind  sits  in  the  tree, 

It  has  no  home  and  no  retreat, 

Twin  wanderers   are  we — 

I  slip  along;  I've  done  no  wrong, 

So  no  wall  shelters  me. 

Then  Death  and  Life  walked  either  side, 

Each  held  a  weary  hand, 

Said  Life,  "  I  will  not  be  his  bride, 

"  Come  join  him  to  thy  band, 

"  So  lean  and  lorn,  and  so  forlorn, 

"  His  destiny  is  planned." 

But  with  a  sigh,  Death  made  reply, 

And  turned  his  head  away, 

"  I  follow  only  when  men  fly, 

"  I  seize  unwilling  prey, 

"  The  outcast's  call  none  heeds  at  all, 

"  He  lias  no  debt  to  pay!  " 

"  Cast  dice  for  him  " — Then  in  a  trice, 
I  saw  that  they  were  three ; 
One  look  alone  did  quite  suffice 

13 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

To  show  mine  enemy! 

Death  vanished,  Life  gave  up  the  strife, 

For  there  stood  Misery! 

o    o 


BETRAYED 

RUSSIA,  January  5,  1905. 

WHO  are  these  in  the  light  of  the  morning 
In  a  silent  and  sorrowful  throng, 
Without  arms,  without  sound,  as  of  singing, 
Without  music,  thus  marching  along? 

They  are  peaceful,  pathetic  as  children, 
They  are  dumb  as  if  marching  to  doom, 
As  the  sheep  to  the  slaughter,  these  strong  men, 
Or  as  martyrs  athirst  for  the  tomb. 

They  are  numbered  in  hundreds  and  thousands, 
They  are  marshalled  by  sorrow  and  pain, 
They  are  driven  by  hunger,  as  quicksands 
That  are  moved  by  the  wind  and  the  rain. 

They  are  seeking  their  loved  one,  their  Father, 
And  with  hope  in  their  hearts,  they  would  cry, 
"  It  is  Thou  whom  we  seek,  and  none  other, 
"  We  who  hunger,  who  suffer,  who  die. 

14 


POEMS  OF  KEVOLT 

"  We  are  thine,  we  are  thine  for  thy  bidding, 
"  By  the  love  that  we  cherish  of  thee, 
"  Be  not  thine  the  indifference  forbidding, 
'"  These  thy  people,  to  love  and  be  free. 

"  With  our  hands  we  will  serve  and  defend  thee, 
"  With  our  blood  we  will  drown  out  the  foe, 
"  Let  us  talk  with  thee,  plead  with  thee,  see  thee, 
"  All  we  seek  is  to  know,  is  to  know !  " 

But  what  cry  like  a  stab  in  the  silence, 

With  a  shuddering  moan  as  of  pain, 

Rends  the  heavens  with  pity,  and  why,  whence, 

On  the  pavements  this  blood  and  these  slain  ? 

They  are  fallen  and  praying  for  mercy, 

In  their  wonder,  their  terror,  their  fear, 

While  their  brothers,  their  comrades,  with  fury 

Whip  them  there,  strike  them  now,  shoot  them  here ! 

And  a  sound  of  immutable  weeping, 
And  of  anger  astonished,  defies 
The  coward  assassin  who,  keeping 
In  his  hiding,  is  armored  in  lies. 

"  Peace,"  he  said  to  the  world,  and  it  wondered, 
And  what  now  shall  ye  say  to  this  thing? 
Ye  have  heard,  oh  ye  nations,  he  thundered, 
From  the  dark  he  has  darted  his  sting. 

15 


POEMS  OF  KEVOLT 

Have  they  yielded  in  war,  have  they  faltered, 
Have  they  fled,  or  complained  when  they  fall, 
When  their  fortune  was  false  have  they  altered 
In  their  faith  or  allegiance  at  all  ? 

And  a  wave  of  our  great  indignation 

Shall  declare  us  their  friends,  unafraid, 

Let  them  rise  as  a  man,  as  a  nation, 

With  the  war  cry,  the  one  word,  "  Betrayed !  " 

o    o 

MATERNITY 

CALL  a  halt,  ye,  and  listen,  give  ear  and  take  heed, 
All  ye  Mothers  of  men,  who  have  mocked  in  your 

pride, 

Ye  who  bid  us  bear  children  and  drift  on  the  tide 
Of  a  terrible  life  force  that  blindly  will  breed. 

Are  not  we  the  true  mothers  of  men,  we  who  say 
Let  the  living  have  Life,  let  the  child  born  be  free, 
As  we  cry  "  Halt,  surrender !  "  to  fierce  Destiny, 
"  Ye  must  pass  our  dead  bodies  to  seize  on  your 
prey"? 

Nay,  not  blood  of  our  blood  these,  but  heart  of  our 

heart. 
All    our    children    these    outcasts,    whom    ye    have 

passed  by 

With  the  wisdom  of  those  who  rear  young  life  to  die. 
D  ye  mothers,  our  part  is  a  holier  part. 

16 


POEMS  OF  KEVOLT 

We  have  listened  at  night  to  the  falling  of  tears, 
To  the  terrible  tears  that  trickle  like  rain, 
Shall  the  world  propagate  and  perpetuate  pain, 
And  shall  Life  bear  Death  fruit  through  immutable 
years  ? 

Shall  the  travail  of  women,  the  wail  of  the  babe, 
Shall  the  shuddering  silence  of  bondmen  who  toil, 
Those  who  falter  in  famine  while  others  reap  spoil, 
Not  appall  with  the  horror  of  Life's  living  grave? 

Like  a  man  in  the  silent,  the  terrible  tomb, 
Like  a  man  who  is  closed  in  the  still  place  of  Death 
They  are  buried  alive,  and  each  gasp  of  their  breath 
Is  a  cry  like  the  child's  that  bursts  forth  from  the- 
womb. 

Halt,  ye  Mothers,  and  listen,  stoop  down  and  bend 

low 

To  the  weeping  of  those  who  are  born  but  to  die, 
Give  ye  ear  and  take  heed,  yea,  and  answer  their  cry, 
Shall   our  life  breed   such  life?     No,   a  thousand 

times  no! 

o  o 

THE  CURSE 

THIS  is  the  curse,  that  man  of  woman  born 
Shall  be  from  darkest  night  to  brighest  morn 
A  Thing  of  scorn. 

1? 


POEMS  OF  KEVOLT 

Behold,  where'er  he  turns  each  path  is  barred, 
Each  Eden  by  a  flaming  sword  is  marred, 
Each  Adam  scarred. 

Together  do  we  march,  together  stand 
Or  labor  valiantly,  hand  helping  hand 
Across  the  land. 


We  force  our  fainting  brother  to  the  wall, 
We  pause  to  watch  his  tears,  to  see  his  fall, 
We  mock  his  call. 

Behold  him  on  his  aimless,  endless  beat 
Return  again  with  tired,  discouraged  feet, 
Recoil,  advance,  retreat. 

His  eyes  are  worn  with  watching  and  his  hands 
Will  ache  with  idleness — who  understands 
His  chainless  bands. 

Behold  his  woman,  bounden  unto  man 
To  starve,  or  feed  his  foolish  lust,  life's  plan 
Since  life  began ! 

A  criminal  indifference  has  slain 
The  living  dead  whose  voice  cries  out  again 
The  curse  of  Cain! 

18 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 


TO  FRANCE 

SUN-LOVED  lover  of  liberty,  oh  France, 

Sweet  glorious  land,  the  magic  of  whose  name 

Uttered,  is  like  the  unfurled  oriname 

Before  the  hosts  of  freedom  that  advance; 

Not  as  a  stranger  curious  of  thy  chance 

But  as  a  lover  jealous  of  thy  fame, 

Through    blood,    through    battle,    through    defeat, 

through  shame 
We  watch  the  uplifting  of  thy  countenance. 

Seas  cannot  sunder  us,  nor  time  divide 

Our  ancient  heritage  of  liberty, 

Thou  old  world  sentinel  of  all  men  free, 

The  old  wrongs  live,  the  old  hates  have  not  died, 

Lead  on,  lead  on  against  the  tyrant  gold 

To  whom  all  men  are  slaves,  now  as  of  old. 


O    O 


LINES  TO  A  ROMAN  TEMPLE 

THEEE  is  a  haunting  unread  mystery 
Where  the  proud  temple  empty  stands  alone 
Hearing  the  whispers  of  the  wind  bemoan 
The  onward  march  of  man  toward  destiny ! 

19 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

Some  unsuspected  music  with  delight 
Pulsating  through  the  twilight  throbs  its  joy 
While  the  belated  unseen  shepherd  boy 
Mocking  our  tuneless  days  puts  Time  to  flight. 

We  pause,  we  listen  trembling  on  the  verge 

Of  unknown  wonders,  for  our  souls  have  been 

A  moment  face  to  face  with  the  unseen 

Where  life  and  death,  where  flesh  and  spirit  merge. 

Race  after  race  descends  the  flights  of  Time, 
Roman  and  Celt  and  Gaul,  and  none  endure, 
Yet  we  live  on  in  what  we  can  ensure 
Of  sculptured  loveliness,  or  passioned  rhyme. 

A  song,  a  statue,  only  these  remain 

A  mighty  heritage,  Beauty  alone 

Leads  man  from  age  to  age  up  to  the  throne 

That  he  aspires  to,  that  he  shall  attain. 

O    O 

LES  MARCHANDES  D'AMOUR 

PHANTOM  ghosts  of  gaiety, 
Pity,  pity,  pity  ye! 

Hearts  of  hate  and  lips  of  love, 
Whither,  whither  do  ye  rove? 
Who  will  buy  the  offered  smile, 
Who  fulfil  your  fate  awhile  ? 

20 


POEMS  OF  REVOLT 

Like  a  host  of  leaves  when  driven 
From  the  starry  haunts  of  heaven, 
Drifting  on  the  tide  of  chance, 
Wind-whirled  in  fantastic  dance. 

Mincing  mien  and  flaunting  air, 

Gaudy,  garrulous  and  fair 

As  a  booty  or  a  spoil, 

Captured,  caught,  with  snare  and  toil. 

Selling  pleasure,   selling  joy, 
Tantalizing,  tortured  toy; 
Tricked  and  trafficked,  mocked  and  marred, 
Branded,  baffled,  scoffed  and  scarred! 

Wander,  wander  whither,  why? 
Ye  who  pay  while  all  pass  by, 
Casting  stones  each  at  his  sin 
As  he  spurns  in  you  his  kin. 

Fools  of  fortune,  pity  ye — 
Your  bejewelled  poverty ! 

Hounded  like  a  hare  at  bay, 
That  no  coup  de  grace  will  slay, 
Like  a  bird  of  broken  wing, 
Wild,  defiant,  fluttering. 

Hither,  thither,  drearily, 
On  and  onward,  wearily; 
Laughing,  cursing  to  defy 
Stifled  sob  and  surging  sigh. 

21 


Scorned  and  feted,  sought  and  fled, 
Living  tomb  when  love  long  dead, 
Through  the  hours  of  memory 
Haunts  the  hearth  and  gibes  at  ye. 

Pleasure  then  with  whip  in  hand 
Lashes  on  the  maddened  band, 
Till  ye  seek  oblivion 
And  the  goal  of  death  is  won. 

Victims,  shall  we  pity  ye 
More  than  they  whose  cruelty 
Blind  and  brutal  in  its  might 
Sells  despair  and  buys  delight  ? 

Fools  are  they,  and  ye  and  we — 
To  endure  life's  anarchy ! 

O    O 

CALL  OF  THE  NIGHT 

NIGHT  marches  clothed  in  mighty  mystery, 
The  net  of  darkness  trailing  in  her  hand 
Is  cast  about  the  still  quiescent  land, 
Whilst  star  on  star  swims  up  an  azure  sea. 

What  shapes,  what  shades  of  human  misery 
Unseen  beneath  the  sun,  whose  faces  scanned 
Strike  sorrow  in  our  heart,  come  band  on  band 
With  suffering  confront  us,  crouch  and  flee  ? 
22 


POEMS  OF  REVOLT 

Hide,  hide  away  your  scorn  and  hush  your  curse, 
We  have  not  broken  ye,  ye  birds  of  night, 
And  ye,  ye  maids,  whose  laughter  chills  delight, 
Whose  flowers  hide  the  horror  of  a  hearse. 
Appalled  we  pause,  we  pity,  we  regret, 
Then  helplessly  we  pass,  and  we  forget ! 

O    O 

HYMN  TO  THE  FOREST 

.HAIL,  sacred  guardian  of  the  mysteries 
That  hedge  our  lives  about,  that  penetrate 
Our  hidden  thought,  moulding  our  mortal  fate, 
And  baffling  all  our  vain  philosophies! 

The  wind  goes  swinging  down  thy  winding  ways, 
The  sunlight  pours  his  beauty  on  thy  breast, 
The  dancing  rain  leaps  lightly  to  his  rest, 
And  many  a  winged  insect  hums  thy  praise. 

Teach  me  thy  magic,  lay  thy  healing  wand 
Upon  my  weariness,  lead  me  apart 
And  pour  thy  melodies  into  my  heart 
That  I  may  sing  them  to  the  barren  land. 

Give  me  thy  peace,  thy  beauty,  cover  me 
With  all  thy  shelter,  smooth  the  weary  frown, 
That  through  the  toil  and  turmoil  of  the  town 
Thy  sweetness  and  thy  strength  may  follow  me. 

23 


POEMS  OF  KEVOLT 

For  I  would  build  thy  temple  once  again, 
And  where  man  prostrate  fell  upon  the  sod 
Adoring,  I  would  raise  him  up,  a  God,. 
Sound,  simple,  sweet,  peaceful,  serene  and  sane. 

o  o 

WORK 

AND  the  word  of  the  world  shall  be  work 

As  we  wake  to  the  sense  of  our  own, 

As  ye  stand,  hand  in  hand, 

With  the  might  of  the  brand 

Where  we  faltered  and  fell  when  alone. 

For  the  head  shall  not  war  with  the  hand, 

Nor  the  woman  do  battle  with  man, 

Each  for  all  be  our  cry,  each  for  all  be  our  call, 

Without  class,  without  caste,  without  clan. 

Peace  we  whisper  and  peace  through  the  strife, 

Seeking  life  and  our  birthright  of  joy, 

With  the  help  that  shall  heal 

The  dull  wounds  we  conceal 

As  they  break  us  to  fashion  a  toy. 

And  let  no  man  be  idle  or  vain, 

And  let  no  man  be  crushed  by  his  toil, 

Like  a  beast  at  their  feast 

They  have  slighted  the  least, 

And  corrupted  their  hearts  with  their  spoil. 

24 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

We  the  workers  whose  will  shall  not  fail, 

We  the  workers  who  cry  not  in  vain, 

Each  for  all,  we  give  hail,  for  our  hearts  shall  prevail, 

As  we  labor  in  joy,  not  in  pain. 

O    O 

AUTUMN  DIRGE 

GOLDEN  brown, 

Sifting  down, 
Over  turret,  turf  and  town; 

Every  leaf, 

Like  a  grief, 
Taking  flight  at  autumn's  frown ! 

Round  and  round 

O'er  the  ground, 
How  they  flutter,  all  earth  bound! 

How  they  dance 

In  a  trance, 
Now  recoil  and  now  advance! 

Never  more 

Shall  they  soar 
Toward  the  heavens  as  before! 

Still  they  try 

For  the  sky, 
Tortured  leaves  that  cannot  fly! 

25 


POEMS  OF  REVOLT 

Why  will  ye 

Restlessly 
Follow  and  then  flee  from  me? 

Are  ye  then 

Hopes  of  men 
That  may  never  soar  again. 

Back  away, 

Ghosts  at  bay, 
Must  I  be  your  hunted  prey? 

Has  life  shed 

Us  and  fled, 
And  can  Death  thus  scorn  the  dead? 

o   o 


HOMELESS 

Lullaby 

MOTHER'S  baby,  her  delight, 
Sleep,  oh,  sleep,  the  moon  so  bright 
Lights  her  taper;  she  has  shed 
Kisses  on  thy  helpless  head. 

Mother's  heart  shall  hold  thee  warm, 
Swung  aloft  on  mother's  arm; 
Cradle  bed  nor  home  have  we, 
Yet  the  stars  dance  merrily. 

26 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

Though  a  demon,  whispering, 
Murmurs,  "  Death  is  pitying/' 
Though  the  wind,  a  wolf  at  bay, 
Gnaws  my  naked  heel  away — 

Though  a  host  of  butterflies 
Flit  and  flutter  through  the  skies, 
As  the  snow  with  cloak  of  white 
Spreads  our  coverlet  to-night — 

Wind  nor  cold  shall  harm  my  flower, 
Guarded  by  a  mother's  power; 
Heart  of  mine,  O  little  heart, 
That  no  break  of  birth  shall  part. 

Though  with  thee  came  poverty, 
None  so  rich  as  I  in  thee ! 
Bowed  before  the  altar,  men 
Worship  motherhood,  and  then — 

Scatter,  leaving  us  to  pray, 
Begging  on  our  hungry  way; 
In  the  council  statesmen  plead, 
"  Give  us  children  in  our  need !  " 

Hush,  my  baby,  sleep,  while  I 
Hate  and  Fate  and  Life  defy. 
Sleep,  the  moon  keeps  pace  with  me 
Lest  I  sleep  and  waken  thee. 


27 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 


SPRING  SONG 

THERE  is  a  joy  in  the  mere  breath  of  life 

When  the  wind  sweetens  with  the  scent  of  Spring, 

And  the  low  lisping  southern  waters  sing 

A  lullaby  to  wild  and  wintry  strife. 

Ah  then  the  heart  forgets  its  weariness, 
And  timidly  puts  forth  its  buds  of  hope, 
Smiling  with  sun-born  faith  at  man's  distress, 
Knowing  all  happiness  within  his  scope! 

Joy  strong  to  strengthen,  joy  to  purify 
A  world  deluded  with  vain  suffering, 
To  banish  strife,  join  hands  and  hearts,  defy 
The  old  sad  order  and  proclaim  the  Spring. 

O    O 

A  POET'S  GRAVE 

SILENCE  and  solitude  and  shy-eyed  sleep 
Above  the  melancholy  murmuring  pine, 
Fluttered  with  wings  that  thrill  the  ancient  vine, 
A  watch  eternal  o'er  thy  slumbers  keep. 

And  here  the  multitude  in  pilgrimage 

Pauses  the  hurry  of  its  vagrant  feet, 

While  Life  and  Death  like  hostile  sovereigns  meet 

To  read  the  annals  of  another  age. 

23 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

For  thou  art  one  with  all  high  holy  things, 
Beside  the  silence  of  the  dormant  stream 
Thy  spirit  hovers  like  a  haunting  dream 
And  pulses  in  the  note  the  wood-bird  sings. 

We  tremble  on  the  verge  of  the  unseen, 
Circled  about  by  many  a  mystery, 
Knowing  not  what  shall  be  nor  what  has  been, 
Ignoring  man's  innate  divinity. 

High  singer  of  the  sad  equality 
Forced  on  us  all  by  all-embracing  Death, 
Late  heritage,  sealed  with  our  failing  breath, 
When  shall  we  learn  to  live  immortally  ? 

When  shall  we  banish  and  subdue  the  strife 
Of  man  with  man,  and  God  against  the  world, 
When  shall  the  banner  of  proud  peace  unfurled 
Float  o'er  the  boundless  universe  of  life  ? 

When  shall  our  days  in  comradeship  and  love 
Fall  as  the  petals  of  a  perfect  flower, 
Distilling  beauty  through  the  ripening  hour, 
Drawing  down  heaven  from  the  clouds  above  ? 


29 


POEMS  OF  KEVOLT 


THE  SECRET 

SINCE  joy  is  like  a  bubble 
That  glows,  then  melts  away 
Within  the  mists  of  trouble 
That  tantalize  the  day. 

Since  Pleasure  in  her  playing 
Is  hounded  hard  by  pain, 
And  Love  for  all  gainsaying 
Blows  hot  then  cold  again. 

When  sleep  is  horror  haunted 
By  ghostly  dreams  that  fright, 
And  roses  spring  enchanted 
Await  the  winter  blight. 

What  cheer  when  life  is  hollow, 
And  fragile  all  things  fair, 
While  every  path  we  follow 
Leads  somewhere  to  Despair? 

Hide  in  thy  heart  the  beauty, 
Build  deep  within  thy  soul 
A  palace  of  thy  booty 
Where  Time  has  no  control. 

With  cypress  tree  and  willows 
And  stately  columns  set, 
By  mystic  seas  whose  billows 
Murmur  "  Forget,  forget." 

30 


POEMS  OF  REVOLT 

Here  May  shall  cry  "  Bemember  " 
And  Hope  shall  rise  and  sing, 
Disarming  sad  November, 
Defying  Winter's  sting. 

Roses  and  rest  and  rapture, 
One  love  that  cannot  fail, 
These  treasures  of  thy  capture 
Enchanting  hill  and  vale. 

One  smile  shall  banish  sorrow, 
One  friend  make  all  men  true, 
One  dream  defy  the  morrow, 
One  rose  wake  spring  anew! 


o    o 


THE  FUTURE 

O  LITTLE  life  so  brief,  so  bitter  long, 
So  vain  of  joy,  so  vexed  with  futile  pain, 
With  vanities  of  hope,  with  greed  of  gain, 
Then  silenced  like  the  ending  of  a  song! 

Strange  as  the  labyrinth  of  some  wild  dream, 
Bewildered  and  perplexed  I  watch  the  show, 
Hurried  along  to  some  goal  none  may  know, 
And   blindly  battling  toward   some  distant  gleam. 

31 


POEMS  OF  EEVOLT 

With  now  a  tear,  and  now  a  smile  or  sigh, 
I  see  the  pageant  of  my  days  and  thine, 
O  world  half  bestial,  human,  and  divine, 
Till  life  forgetting  us  shall  pass  us  by! 

Unto  the  dizzy  centuries  I  cry, 

"  Hope  on  high-hearted,  mould  and  make  your  Fate, 
"  The  stars  attend  you,  and  the  great  suns  wait, 
"  Dare  on  though  Destiny  himself  defy. 

"  Out  of  the  present  hell  of  life,  from  clay 
"  Inanimate  and  ugly,  shape  and  form 
"  The  human  god  to  greet  the  growing  morn, 
"  And  build  his  heaven  here,  To-day — To-day  I " 


32 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

A  DRAMATIC  POEM 
IN 

THREE  ACTS 

To  suffer  woes  which  hope  thinks  infinite, 
To  forgive  wrongs  darker  than  death  or  night, 
To  defy  power  which  seems  omnipotent, 
To  love  and  fear,  to  hope  till  hope  creates 
From  its  own  wreck  the  thing  it  contemplates. 

—SHELLEY    ( ' '  Prometheus  "  ) 


TO 
M.  S.  P. 


PEEFACE 

Shelley:  the  magic  of  his  name  must  ever  be  dear 
to  all  who  are  rebels,  impatient  as  he  was  of  all  but 
perfection.  It  is  only  through  discontent  that  we 
push  on  to  something  higher,  always  higher. 

Rebellion  and  repression  are  two  mighty  forces 
necessary  to  keep  the  world  in  equilibrium;  repres 
sion  lest  it  speed  on  too  fast  and  so  miss  the  mark; 
rebellion  lest  it  stagnate  where  it  should  evolute. 
In  the  war  of  these  forces  lies  the  action  of  this 
drama. 

It  is  well  to  remember  that  America  is  the  work 
of  a  band  of  rebels,  and  to-day  we  need  again  to 
unshackle  the  hands  of  bound  liberty;  we  are 
crushed  in  the  cuirass  of  custom ;  we  are  stereotyped, 
we  are  plagued  with  old  world  prejudices;  we  need 
to  be  large  living  and  compassionate.  Happiness  is 
forbidden  man  while  he  is  the  oppressor  or  the 
oppressed. 

Of  rebels,  Satan  is  the  greatest  prototype,  bring 
ing  man  discontent  with  his  little  state.  He  gives 
the  knowledge  of  good  and  of  evil  and  also  the  dream 
of  immortality;  for  this  he  pays  the  price  of  pain; 
the  curse  is  to  find  only  misunderstanding,  for  he  is 
in  too  far  advance  of  his  multitude.  Defying  Des- 

35 


PREFACE 

tiny,  he  still  is  the  instrument  of  a  destiny  that  con 
tains  us  each  and  all;  in  this  knowledge  he  at  last 
finds  peace.  The  good  he  gives  is  thought  evil  until 
man  learns  that  evil  is  negative  and  that  he  must 
seek  in  his  own  soul  the  secret  god.  Humanity  is 
an  organic  whole,  who  injures  the  smallest  part 
injures  each  and  all  of  us. 

In  every  myth  there  is  hidden  a  meaning  and  each 
man  must,  as  he  may,  interpret  it,  nor  tremble  if 
he  differs  from  the  might  of  a  Milton.  I  have  given 
of  my  own  measure;  it  is  no  concern  of  mine  what 
becomes  of  it,  neither  failure  nor  fortune  are  of 
importance;  but  this  only  counts  that  a  man  shall 
dream,  that  a  man  shall  dare. 

G.  CONSTANT  LOUNSBERY. 

PABIS,  1910, 

Hotel  de  Biron. 


36 


ACT  I. 

A  primeval  oak  grove.     Late  afternoon. 

ACT  II. 

Ruined  castle  in  the  depths  of  the  valley  Des  Beaux. 
The  Tenth  Century,  A.  D.     Night. 

ACT  III. 

Cemetery  in  Paris.     Early  morning. 
Time  A.  D.,  1910. 


37 

402646 


CHARACTERS 


ACT  I. 


Satan 

The  Comrade 
The  Queen 
The  High  Priest 
The   Child 
1st  Merchant 


2nd  Merchant 

3rd        " 

4th       " 

A  young  woman 

An  old  woman 

Priests,  soldiers  and  people 


ACT  II. 


Satan 

The  Comrade 
King  of  the  East 
King  of  the  West 
Priest  of  Buddha 
Priest  of  Christ 


A  Poet 
A  Courtesan 
A  Leper 
Four  Merchants 
Witches,     maidens 
people. 


and 


ACT  III. 

Satan  3rd  Phantom — Mirabeau 

1st  Phantom — Socrates    4th  Phantom — Washington 
2nd  Phantom — Brutus     A  Maiden 
A  Workman 


38 


ACT  I. 

A  primeval  oak  grove  with  three  paths,  right,  left  and 
back  of  stage,  leading  into  forest.  Back  stage,  the  bank 
of  a  river.  Left  stage,  a  throne,  hewn  in  a  rock  and 
sheltered  by  a  large  oak.  Right  centre,  a  Druidical 
stone  altar. 

Discovered  Satan  clad  in  gold  scale  armor.  The 
Comrade  enters  left  stage  and  comes  timidly  towards 
him. 

THE    COMEADE 

Celestial  Comrade,  hail!     First  by  thy  might, 
Thy  beauty,  thy  divine  intelligence, 
Among  the  gods  that  radiate  like  stars 
Around  the  sacred  sun  of  Destiny, 
Vouchsafe  to  tell  me,  for  my  love  of  thee, 
Why  thou  art  come  among  the  race  of  man  ? 

SATAH" 

Who  may  behold  the  secret  thought,  and  know 
The  hidden  purpose  of  his  slightest  deed, 
Or  what  wide  circles  in  the  sea  of  Fate 
The  slightest  pebble,  cast  with  careless  hand, 
Shall  spread?     And  so  I  answer  not,  nor  seek 
With  wealth  of  words  to  deck  mine  ignorance! 
Some  impulse  urged  me  here,  and  so  'tis  well ! 

39 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

COMRADE 

Would  it  were  well  for  thee  and  thy  renown ! 
Canst  thou,  a  god,  commune  with  lesser  man, 
Abortive  creature  whom  the  womb  of  Fate 
Has  fashioned  neither  god  nor  animal  ? 
Fiercer  is  he  than  beasts  of  prey  that  prowl, 
And  terrible  in  his  intelligence, 
A  foe  to  man  and  beast,  he  lives,  alas, 
Destroyer,  seeking  ever  to  destroy. 

SATAN 

Be  not  impatient  in  complaint,  but  know 
Perfection  leaps  not,  patience  hews  her  path. 
Nature,  who  fashioned  man  a  mortal,  seeks 
To  raise  in  him  an  immortality. 


COMEADB 

Satan,  beware,  lest  pity  in  thy  heart 
Betray  thee. 

SATAN 
Pity!  Thou  hast  said! 

COMRADE 

Alas! 
Have  pity  then  of  thee. 

40 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

Yet  hear  my  mind, 

And  understand  this  mystery  of  man. 
Desire,  blind  desire  goads  him  on, 
Wisdom  he  knows  not,  immortality 
He  seeks  not,  but — within  the  moment  mured, 
Bewildered  in  the  labyrinth  of  life, 
Remembering  not  the  annals  of  his  race, — 
He  moves  within  the  web  of  ignorance. 
Life  leads  towards  life  complex  and  intricate, 
From  seed  to  flower,  then  to  fairest  flesh, 
Yet  one  in  beast  and  bird  and  blood  of  man. 
Within  each  cell  the  racial  memory 
Of  each  inheritance,  with  strange  desires 
And  baffling  instincts  warring,  wills  its  way. 
Confusion  works  within  the  human  mind 
Perplexed,  and  purposeless,  and  impotent ! 
What  if  man  knew,  what  if  he  could  divine 
These  workings  ?     He  who  was  a  clot  of  clay 
Might  he  not  consciously  become  a  god  ? 

COMRADE 

I  have  the  secret  of  thy  thought,  and  fear 
Is  oft  the  herald  of  foreboding  fate, 
Pity  betrays  thee,  unto  such  as  these 
Satan  is  come  to  give  forbidden  gifts. 

SATAN 

I  value  nothing,  nothing  call  mine  own, 
But  that  which  freely  I  may  give  again ! 

41 


SATAN  UNBOUND 


COMRADE 


Is  it  not  then  decreed  and  known  to  thee, 
The  curse  on  him  who  shall  betray  the  gods, 
And  give  to  mortals  knowledge  and  the  thirst 
For  wisdom  or  for  immortality? 


SATAN 


What  is  forbidden  is  ordained!     The  curse 
Stirs  in  me  deep  resentment  and  revolt, 
Law  that  is  harmony  is  obvious, 
Unconsciously  obeyed. 

COMEADE 

What  wouldst  thou  then? 
Learn  suffering  to  teach  a  beast  delight  ? 

SATAN 
If  I  alone  might  pay  the  fatal  price ! 

COMEADE 

And  who  are  we  to  say  what  penalty 

Man  too  shall  pay,  what  evil  out  of  good 

Shall  grow  and  wreck  this  daring  dream  of  thine  ? 

SATAN 

Thy  speech  is  like  a  mortal's,  ignorant, 
There  is  no  good,  no  evil. 

42 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

COMBADE 

We  who  see 

The  sum  of  all  things  that  the  mind  resolves 
Know  pain  is  but  a  warning,  evil  too 
The  discord  of  disordered  harmony 
That  comes  in  broken  rhythms  to  our  sense. 
But  man  all  imperfected,  impotent, 
Perceives  but  fragments  of  a  shattered  whole, 
Ignoring  all  things.     Were  this  well  for  him  ? 
Might  he  not  for  his  harm  behold  the  truth, 
Seeing  the  evil,  fancy  it  the  good, 
And  so  in  his  confusion  curse  himself? 

SATAN 

I  know  not,  what  a  menace  in  thy  words! 
Yet,  since  my  utter  ignorance  ordains 
A  risk  to  mortals,  I  will  hold  my  peace. 
We,  finite  bits  of  all  infinity, 
Know  not  the  sum  of  things. 

COMEADE 

Wisdom  prevails 
Let  us  be  gone,  what  have  we  here  to  do  ? 

SATAN 

Stay,  I  would  see  who  comes,  and  if  perchance 
The  fairest  of  all  mortals,  crowned  their  queen, 
Lights  with  her  beauty  their  dark  ignorance. 

43 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

COMRADE 

Farewell,  and  of  my  words  take  heed. 

SATAN 

Farewell. 

(Exit  left  stage  Comrade.  Satan 
hides  among  the  oaks  left  stage. 
The  Queen  enters  right  stage  es 
corted  by  the  High  Priest,  Cap 
tain,  and  soldiers  clad  in  leopard 
skins  and  armed  with  swords  and 
spears.  She  takes  her  place  upon 
the  throne.) 

HIGH    PRIEST 

Justice,  O  Queen !    A  scandal  in  the  land 
Demands  chastising,  lest  it  do  thee  harm. 

QUEEN 

Speak  as  thy  heart  shall  counsel  thee,  great  priest, 
I  listen. 

HIGH   PRIEST 

Custom  is  the  heritage 
And  wisdom  of  our  fathers.     By  its  law 
We  do  excel  the  beast.     We  rule,  we  reign 
By  fear. 

44 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

QUEEN 

Fear  is  the  sceptre  of  the  state,  the  sword. 

HIGH  PEIEST 

Beware  lest  mockery  shall  blunt  the  blade. 

QUEEN 
Less  craft,  O  cunning  man,  speak  out  thy  will. 

HIGH    PEIEST 

A  sacred  custom  of  the  land,  O  Queen, 
Is  daily  violated. 

QUEEN 

Who  is  he? 
Who  braves  our  laws  ? 

HIGH    PKIEST 

The  Queen  has  done  this  thing. 

QUEEN 

The  Queen  ?     Choose  well  thy  boastful  speech,  O 
Priest. 

45 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

HIGH   PEIEST 

Yet  listen  in  humility  and  judge. 
Thy  son 

QUEEN 
My  little  son,  unhappy  child ! 

HIGH   PEIEST 

An  ancient  and  a  sacred  law  commands 
That  at  his  birth  each  weakling  shall  be  slain. 
He  lives,  whose  life  is  forfeit,  he,  thy  shame. 

QUEEN 

I  sheltered  his  first  smile,  I  hoped  in  vain 
The  years  might  yield  him  beauty! 

HIGH   PEIEST 

Idle  dream. 

And  pitiful,  for  how  then  shall  the  host 
Despising  this  thy  fruit  still  honor  thee? 

QUEEN 

One  weakling  counts  not  in  a  herd  of  men 
What  harm  is  his,  he  cannot  work  us  ill. 
I  gave  him  life,  and  death  I  may  not  give. 

46 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

HIGH   PEIEST 

Yet  if  we  nourish  weaklings  in  our  race 
At  war  with  nature  all  untamed, — at  war 
With  men  like  beasts  but  thirstier  for  prey, — 
We  are  disarmed  before  the  enemy. 
Not  this  alone  I  see ;  thy  royal  might, 
How  shall  it  make  men  tremble  at  thy  throne 
If  thou  dost  fear  ? 

QUEEN 

I  fear? 

HIGH    PEIEST 

If  not  afraid 

Why  shield  this  living  sorrow,  mocking  thee, 
That  shames  thy  motherhood?     Thy  child  should 

be 
A  light,  a  loveliness,  swift,  subtle,  strong. 

QTTEEN 

Torment  me  not,  he  lives,  it  is  too  late. 

HIGH   PKIEST 

Too  late,  a  coward's  word  that  shackles  slaves. 

QUEEN 

If  such  thy  zeal  why  hast  thou  not  destroyed 
This  error  of  my  flesh  ? 

47 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

HIGH    PBIEST 

Almighty  Queen, 

Thy  word  and  thy  command  should  urge  the  deed. 
That  once  again  the  host  may  fear,  and  bow 
Before  thy  power,  passionless  and  stern, 
As  is  a  god's. 

QUEEN 

I  ?     Must  I  do  this  thing  ? 
Would  ye  had  slain  him,  sleeping  on  my  breast 
So  sweet,  so  small,  in  infant  innocence. 

HIGH    PEIEST 

I  yielded  to  thy  prayer,  yield  thou  in  turn, 
Lest  one  and  all  we  flee  from  force,  and  fall 
Unthroned.     But  since  death  comes  to  all  at  last, 
To  all  an  end,  what  matters  when  the  day  ? 

QUEEN 

Are  ye  then  all  agreed,  ye  holy  men, 
Is  there  no  other  way,  and  must  he  die  ? 

HIGH    PEIEST 

The  child  must  die. 

QUEEN 

Ye  soldiers,  say  your  will. 
48 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

CAPTAIN 

The  child  must  die,  no  chief  of  men  is  he. 

QUEEN 

I  order,  I  decree  his  death,  that  men 

May  know  me  without  weakness,  free  of  fear. 

HIGH   PEIEST 

To-day  the  divers,  the  assembled  tribes 
With  wares  for  barter,  bringing  tribute,  come. 
The  Queen  weighs  justice  equally  to  all. 
They  shall  not  see  thy  son,  let  him  be  slain. 

QTJEEN 
So  swiftly,  must  it  be  so  suddenly? 

HIGH    PKIEST 

The  child  must  die. 

QUEEN 

So  be  it. 

(The  child  enters  back  stage;  his  arms 
full  of  flowers,  he  comes  limping 
in.) 

49 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

CHILD 

Mother,  see, 

All  these  for  you,  so  fair,  so  cool,  so  sweet. 
The  children  of  the  camp  cast  stones  at  me, 
The  women  whispered,  then  I  ran,  I  ran, 
They  called  me  slow-foot,  speckled  toad,  and  yet 
The  little  birds  come  to  me  when  I  call, 
They  sing,  they  sit  upon  my  shoulders 

QUEEN 

Peace  I 

CHILD 

But  I  must  tell  you,  if  the  fairy  flowers 
Are  happy  with  me,  tell  me 

QTJEEN 

Make  an  end. 

CHILD 

You  will  not  listen,  but  the  mountain  stream 
Sings  sweetly  to  me  secrets,  while  the  breeze 
Shakes  all  the  little  leaves  to  sport  with  me, 
Each  has  its  wonders,  each  its  mystery, 
They  call  me  and  they  seek  me.     I  must  find 
What  they  will  tell  me. 

HIGH   PKIEST 

Shall  this  be  a  man, 
This  babbler? 

50 


SATAN"  UNBOUND 


CAPTAIN 


Shall  he  wield  the  smiting  sword 
And  bathe  in  blood,  a  leader  ? 


CHILD 

No  one  hears, 
And  no  one  understands. 

QUEEN 

Be  brief,  have  done. 
(The  soldiers  seize  the  child.) 

CHILD 

Mother  they  hurt  me,  oh,  they  hurt  me,  help, 

I  am  so  little,  I  will  be  so  small  ; 

They  are  about  to  do  some  wickedness 

That  frightens  them,  they  grow  so  rough,  so  fierce 

To  hide  their  fear. 

CAPTAIN  (turning  away) 
I  cannot. 


HIGH    PRIEST 

Bind  his  eyes. 


Lead  him  away, 


SATAN  UNBOUND 


CHILD 


Oh,  they  have  killed  the  flowers. 
They  are  afraid.     What  makes  them  tremble  so  ? 

CAPTAIN 

Thus  with  our  shields,  and  face  turned  away, 
Crush  out  his  life. 

CHILD 

Alas,  O  Mother,  oh! 

(The  soldiers  encircle  him  and  are 
about  to  crush  him  when  Satan 
with  flaming  sword  surges  among 
them,  scattering  them  on  every 
side.} 

SATAN 

Might  against  might,  ye  beasts  of  prey,  give  way. 
Art  thou  calm  Nature's  self,  to  smile  and  smile 
And  slay  thine  offspring,  mother,  murderer  ? 

QUEEN 

I  will  not  live  defeated,  strike  me  down, 
For  surely  thou  a  god  art  come  to  kill. 

CHILD 

Be  not  afraid ;  see,  Mother,  he  is  strong 
And  calm  and  gentle.     Strength  can  do  no  ill. 

(Exit  child.) 

52 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

QUEEN 

I  fear  thee  not,  give  me  thy  sword,  that  I 
May  die  defying  thee  in  life  and  death. 

SATAN 

I  come  to  teach  thine  ignorance,  O  Queen. 
I  pity  thee,  I  bring  thee  gifts  so  great 


QUEEN" 

Have  I  then  need  of  gifts,  the  world  is  mine. 

SATAN 

Beauty  is  thine  that  glitters,  proud  and  vain, 
Ignorance  too  is  thine  of  thy  desire, 
Ignorance  of  thine  aim  and  of  thy  need, 
And  savagery  is  thine  that  slays  and  slays, 
Till  it  be  slain  with  thee  and  hid  away. 

QUEEN 

Insolent  prince,  since  thou  art  conqueror 
My  ransom  waits  thee,  name  it,  and  release ! 

SATAN 
The  child's  life  is  my  price. 

QUEEN 

So  let  it  be, 
Yet  how  can  beauty  covet  ugliness  ? 

53 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

O  Woman,  hast  thou  looked  upon  thy  child  ? 

QUEEN 
He  shames  me. 

SATAN 

Said  I  not  thine  eyes  were  blind  ? 
Hast  thou  not  seen  'a  tiger  for  her  young 
Do  battle  ?     Does  the  pelican  not  feed 
Her  life  blood  to  the  smallest  of  her  brood  ? 
Shall  not  his  weakness  waken  strength  in  thee, 
His  feeble  flesh  be  sweeter  to  defend, 
His  helplessness  be  holy? 

QTJEEN 

Strange  indeed, 

0  stranger,  is  thy  speech. 

SATAN 

An  unknown  world 

Shall  open  unto  thee,  who  hast  not  known 
A  lover's  kiss ;  for  thee  who  in  thy  flesh 
Fashioned  a  loveless  fruit,  brought  forth  in  scorn. 

QTJEEN 

1  have  obeyed  the  laws  of  life  and  man, 
Conceived  in  pain,  brought  forth  in  peril  this — 

54 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

My  child  who  shames  me,  I  withheld  from  death 
The  babe  condemned,  and  so  defied  the  law, 
Though  now  I  do  repent  me. 

SATAN 

Nay,  rejoice, 
For  thou  shalt  live  to  see  his  loveliness. 

QUEEN 

Now  do  I  fear  thee,  I  who  knew  not  fear, 
Some  ray  of  beauty  seems  to  fall  from  thee 
Upon  the  babe.     Alas,  I  would  that  he 
Were  godlike,  great  and  goodly  as  thou  art. 

SATAN 

Beauty  is  thine  and  mine  to  look  upon, 
Within  his  heart  his  loveliness  is  hid. 

QUEEN 

Yet  give  him  of  thine  beauty,  let  there  be 
A  sign  that  he  is  favored  of  the  gods, 
For  sacred  secrets  surely  must  be  thine. 

SATAN 

Would  I  could  give  thee  of  the  gift  of  love. 

QUEEN 

What  then  is  love  ? 

55 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

Nor  god  nor  man  shall  say. 
A  mighty  moving  mystery  that  moulds 
The  heart  to  harmony.     What  words  shall  wake 
This  wonder  for  thee,  ignorant,  since  hate 
Holds  heart  from  heart,  and  hand  from  sword- 
bound  hand ! 

What  simple  simile  shall  show  this  thing  ? 
Yet  that  which  man  ignores  the  beasts  divine ; 
Hast  thou  not  seen  some  humble-hearted  hound 
Caress  the  hand  that  buffets  him,  and  leap 
With  joy  to  hear  one  voice,  one  footfall  near, 
Indifferent  to  all  save  one  alone  ? 
Hast  thou  not  seen  him  guard  his  master's  grave 
And  die  deserted,  giving  life  for  love  ? 
That  which  man  still  ignores  the  beasts  divine. 

QTTEEN 

Hate  have  I  known,  that  holds  men  separate 
And  binds  them  jointly  'gainst  a  common  foe. 
Desire,  brutal  lust  akin  to  hate, 
That  hunts  its  prey  and  downs  it,  I  have  known. 
But  love  I  have  not  seen. 

SATAN 

And  shall  not  see. 

A  million  moons  will  not  suffice  to  show 
This  mystery  to  man.     Yet,  should  he  learn 

56 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

The  secret  of  this  force  that  flows  through  life, 

Welds  heart  to  heart,  dissolves  the  single  self 

Within  the  sea  of  unity,  and  thrills 

The  sluggish  flesh  with  fairest  flower  of  fire 

Illuminating  spirit,  he  would  scale 

The  happy  heights  that  harbor  only  gods. 

QUEEN 

Some  warmth  within  my  heart  awakening  stirs — 
Say  on. 

SATAN 

The  great  earth  nurtures  this  thy  race 
Resolving  through  the  cycles,  thou  in  turn 
Hast  given  forth  a  seed  of  flowering  flesh, 
Thy  child,  who  waits  for  love.     The  bond  of  life 
Is  never  severed  at  the  break  of  birth. 

QUEEN 

I  look  upon  him  with  new  eyes,  it  seems 
A  yearning  grows  within  me.     I  would  be 
Above  him  and  about  him  like  a  cloak. 
To  fold  him  soft  against  a  world  of  harm, 
To  treasure  him,  to  serve  him.     Only  mine, 
My  child,  my  little  self,  and  yet,  methinks, 
It  were  a  sweetness  to  renounce  all  self 
For  him  adoring.     What  is  this  new  thing 
That  moves  within  me,  masters,  sweeps  me  on, 

57 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

And  bears  me  helpless  as  upon  a  sea 

That  seizes  suddenly  a  babe  at  play  ? 

What  moisture  brims  mine  eyes  and  darkens  sight  ? 

SATAN 

A  tear  is  shed  to  hallow  tenderness. 
My  lips  salute  thee  lest  its  bitterness 
Should  stain  thy  beauty,  and  a  kiss  is  born. 

(Satan  kisses  her.) 

QUEEN 

How  soft,  how  sweet,  how  strange,  Oh,  fold  me  so — 
I  am  diffused  and  scattered,  I  am  lost 
And  found  within  the  refuge  of  thine  arms. 
Stranger  thou  art,  yet  nearer  than  my  heart, 
And  mine,  and  mine 

SATAN 

What  riot  in  thy  words. 

QUEEN 

Say  thou  art  mine,  thou  shalt  not  leave  me  more, 

Alas,  alas,  I  suffer,  for  no  hurt, 

A  joy  too  heavy  seems  to  weigh  me  down. 

SATAN 

This  too  is  love,  fear  not,  and  yet  beware, 
In  loving  only  is  all  love  fulfilled. 

58 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Only  the  love  we  give  returns  to  be 

The  rapture,  the  reward  of  having  loved, 

Happy  in  giving  of  its  happiness, 

But  seeking  in  its  selfishness  lies  pain, 

Sorrow,  and  many  a  subtle  suffering. 


.      QUEEN 

I  will  grow  lovely  with  love's  loveliness, 

And  bless  thee  with  my  beauty  for  thy  gift. 

My  heart  rejoicing  would  give  out  to  all 

Thy  secret.     Master,  lead  me  on,  and  on, 

And  show  my  people  this  new  mystery. 

Yea,  turn  the  bond  of  hate  which  binds  their  hands 

Together  'gainst  a  foe,  to  bond  of  love. 

Reign  thou  and  rule  though  over  them  and  me. 

(Re-enter  right  stage  High  Priest, 
Captain,  soldiers,  people  and  chil 
dren.) 


HIGH    PEIEST 

O  Queen,  hast  thou  no  harm  ? 

CAPTAIN 

The  hostile  god, 
Has  he  not  slain  thee  ? 

59 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

QUEEN 

Soldiers,  priests,  and  ye, 

Ye  hosts,  draw  near,  hear  ye  and  heed  my  words, 
A  mighty  power  conquers  us,  but  wills 
A  lasting  good.     This  god  shall  he  your  king 
And  so  reveal  the  gods'  own  mysteries, 
That  you,  who  are  as  beasts  in  ignorance, 
May  now  become  far  mightier  than  men. 

HIGH   PKIEST 

The  Queen  has  spoken,  even  we  as  fools 
Before  his  wisdom  were  afraid  and  fled. 

CAPTAIN 

So  let  it  be,  like  weaklings  we  were  bowed 
Before  the  flashing  of  his  sword.     Hail,  King. 

HIGH   PRIEST 

Hail,  King,  we  are  thy  people,  we  are  thine. 
Thy  secret  shall  be  shrined  within  our  heart. 

CAPTAIN 
Thy  force  shall  soon  abase  our  every  foe. 

QUEEN 

Teach  us  thy  will,  thy  way.    The  god  has  shown 
A  new  world  and  a  life  no  dream  has  told. 
Teach  us  thy  mysteries. 

60 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

How  shall  I  see 

Their  ignorance,  and  hide  within  my  heart 
The  knowledge  guarded  jealously  by  Fate! 
What  seek  ye,  men,  throughout  the  mortal  years  ? 

HIGH  PEIEST 

We  know  not.     The  high  gods  forever  live 

And  know  all  things.     The  low  beasts  live  their 

day 

And  know  not  why.     Hunger  pursues  them;  fear 
Doth  teach  them  hate.     They  breed,  they  die,  their 

young 

Do  even  so,  so  live  we,  so  we  die. 
And  yet  we  sorrow,  knowing  this,  that  we 
Are  bounded  by  a  sea  of  ignorance. 
Help  thou  our  helplessness ! 

QUEEN 

I  conjure  thee 

Eefuse  us  not  this  refuge,  heed  our  prayer. 
We  bow,  we  bend,  we  worship  in  our  need. 

SATAN 

Thus  am  I  cursed  and  smitten  with  their  pain. 
Shall  I  then  suffer  silence  and  endure 
The  pleading  of  their  blind  despair,  how  thus 
With  sorrow  watch  eternal  sorrowing  ? 

61 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Better  defy  the  gods  and  pay  in  pain 
The  gift,  mine  be  alone  the  bitterness. 
So  be  it. 

HIGH  PEIEST 

Speak,  we  wait,  we  cry  to  thee ! 

SATAN 

The  gods  live  on,  ye  say,  the  gods  are  wise, 

They  know  all  things  and  they  abide  for  aye. 

Wisdom  and  immortality  man  too 

In  time  shall  conquer.     Nature  works  her  way, 

Nature  who  holds  us  as  the  changing  sea 

Holds  all  its  drops  of  water  separate: 

She  moves   and  moulds   us,   gods   and  men  and 

beasts, 
Toward  wisdom  and  toward  immortality. 

HIGH  PEIEST 

Hard  words,  what  thing  is  needful? 

SATAN 

Discontent! 

This  first,  that  ye  perceive  how  low  your  state.f 
Desire,  this  is  needful,  great  desire, 
Of  which  all  things  are  born.     If  ye  forget, 
If  ye  be  as  the  beasts,  whose  bellies  rule, 
Senseless  and  satisfied  with  ignorance, 

62 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Then  shall  ye  sink  to  beastliness  again, 
And  all  its  works  and  ways,  that  make  for  hate. 
If  ye  shall  learn  the  mystery  of  love, 
The  link  of  life  to  life,  if  hand  in  hand 
Ye  labor,  each  for  each  to  share  the  earth, 
From  knowledge  unto  knowledge  ye  shall  grow, 
From  life  to  life,  from  star  to  star  ascend 
Until  ye  conquer  immortality. 

HIGH  PEIEST 

We  are  thy  slaves. 

SATAN 

Alas,  be  ye  as  men, 
Be  masters  each,  each  over  self  a  king, 
None  serving  none,  yet  each  one  serving  all, 
All  serving  each,  for  this  is  happiness. 

HIGH  PEIEST 

Hard  words,  what  first  ? 

SATAN 

The  Queen  shall  tell  the  way. 

QUEEN 

First  this,  as  beasts  when  driven  by  wild  lust 
Ye  live  no  longer,  choose  ye  each  a  mate, 
A  comrade,  a  companion,  for  your  days, 

63 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

And  cleave  ye  each  to  each  in  helpfulness. 
Let  not  the  mother  rear  alone  her  young, 
But  let  the  man  defend  her  and  his  child. 

PEOPLE 
This  will  we  do. 

QUEEN 

Choose  ye. 

CAPTAIN 

Shall  no  man  choose 
B.ut  one  ? 

QUEEN 

One  only. 

CAPTAIN 

Brown,  or  black,  or  blonde, 
Blonde,  black,  or  brown? 

(He  chooses  a  maiden.) 

AN  OLD  MAN 

She  is  not  thine,  stand  back. 

CAPTAIN 

Will  she  not  have  me,  dullard  ? 
64 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

OLD  MAN 


She  is  mine, 
My  goods,  my  chattel,  mine  to  do  my  will. 


CAPTAIN 

Nay,  she  is  for  my  pleasure,  since  my  strength 
Gives  power  to  subdue  her,  or  to  slay. 

QUEEN 
They  quarrel. 

SATAN 
Make  an  end  of  folly,  peace ! 

HIGH  PRIEST 

It  is  our  right,  the  highest  in  the  land, 
To  choose  the  fairest  women  of  the  flock. 

CAPTAIN 

Shall  we  then  by  whose  sword  all  ye  enjoy 
A  stale  tranquillity,  not  have  our  say  ? 

QUEEN 

They  look  with  hatred 

65 


SATAN  UNBOUND 


CAPTAIN 


Henceforth  we  are  all 
As  rivals,  now  as  when  we  sort  the  spoil 
That  follows  battle. 

HIGH   PKIEST 

Though  the  god  be  wise, 
With  all  possession  jealousy  is  born 
And  hatred  at  the  heel  of  jealousy. 

CAPTAIN 

Seize,  soldiers,  each  a  mate! 

QUEEN 

Alas. 

SATAN 

Ye  fools,  enough.     Go  each  man  to  his  place, 
In  meditation  and  in  fasting  strive, 
And  for  a  month  live  separate,  then  come 
Before  the  throne  again  with  quiet  mind, 
And  let  each  tell  his  choice  before  all  men. 

HIGH  PKIEST 

So  let  it  be,  behold  the  day  wears  on — 
Sell  ye  your  wares. 

66 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

1ST  MERCHANT 

Who  buys  a  fine  young  kid  ? 


A   WOMAN 

Three  chickens  for  a  kid. 

1ST  MERCHANT 

Three  chickens  ?    Four! 

A  WOMAN 

No,  three,  old  miser. 

2ND  MERCHANT 

Wheat,  white  wheat. 
A  sack  of  wheat,  who  buys  ? 

3RD  MERCHANT 

A  snow-white  pig 
For  thy  white  wheat. 

2ND  MERCHANT 

No  pig,  hast  thou  a  sow? 
A  better  bargain  promising  ten  pigs. 
The  wheat  will  yield  an  acre  if  'tis  sown. 

67 


SATAIST  UNBOUND 

4TH  MEECHANT 

A  sheepskin  for  thy  wheat. 

2ND  MEECHANT 

I  will  not  trade. 

Who  knows  how  much  of  wheat  a  sheepskin  counts ! 
Since  thou  art  king,  decide.     What  will  he  do  ? 

(During  this  scene  Satan  has  de 
scended  into  the  river;  he  comes 
back,  his  hands  full  of  nuggets  of 
gold.) 

SATAN 

A  common  measure  for  your  merchandise. 
Six  pieces  for  a  sheep,  a  bag  of  wheat 
Six  pieces.     So  henceforth  a  man  may  sell 
That  which  he  would  not  keep,  and  take  away 
Portable  value,  that  shall  let  him  buy 
The  thing  he  covets,  when  and  where  he  will. 
Out  of  the  river's  mouth  I  bring  ye  gold 
Precious  and  rare  and  malleable,  divide. 

1ST  MEECHANT 

And  who  shall  guard  the  gold,  come  give  it  me. 

HIGH  PEIEST 

Shall  not  the  priests,  for  in  it  lies  a  force 
That  wise  men  will  control? 

68 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

CAPTAIN 

Some   hostile   tribe 
That  hears  of  this  new  wealth,  with  sword  and 

spear 

Will  come  to  wrest  it  from  you.     It  is  ours, 
By  right  of  the  strong  sword,  to  guard,  to  give. 

1ST  MEECHANT 

It  is  the  Merchant's  measure.     Give  it  us. 

CAPTAIN 

Seize  ye  the  treasure. 

HIGH   PRIEST 

Gold! 

MEECHANTS 

The  gold  I 

SOLDIEES 

The  gold ! 

(They  go  off  the  stage  still  disputing. 
The  child  runs  in  and  the  Queen 
seizes  him  in  her  arms.) 

69 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

QUEEN 

My  son,  my  little  son,  new  born  for  me. 

A   WOMAN 

Her  son? 

2ND   WOMAN 

A  Queen's  son? 

1ST    WOMAN 

Look  at  mine. 

2ND   WOMAN 

And  mine! 

1ST   WOMAN 

A  fishwife  would  be  shamed  by  such  a  child. 
Is  a  child  worth  a  thought  ?     Behold  the  Queen, 
As  if  she  found  a  treasure ! 

2ND   WOMAN 

Nay,  but  ours 
Are  beautiful,  the  world  is  changed  to-day. 

CHILD 
Mother ! 

70 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

QUEEN 

Hide  closer,  sweeter,  sweeter  so, 
World-hated,  mine  the  more,  my  little  one ! 

(Priests,  people  and  soldiers  come  back 
violently  -fighting.  The  child  slips 
from  his  mother's  arms  and  rushes 
among  them  to  try  to  stop  them. 
He  is  caught  in  the  fray  and  dis 
appears.) 

Alas,  my  people,  and  alas,  my  prince, 
The  blood-price  stains  thy  gold. 

1ST   WOMAN 

O  Queen,  behold 
My  son,  my  little  son. 

2ND   WOMAN 

And  mine. 

(The  people  fall  back  and  in  the  clear 
ing  is  seen  the  Queens  child  slain.) 

QUEEN 

My  child — 
Oh,  give  him  me  again,  this  very  hour, 

71 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Only  this  hour,  my  heart  awoke  and  knew 
The  joy  of  him.     Not  dead,  not  dead  indeed, 
But  sleeping. 

CHILD  (moaning) 
Mother. 

IST  WOMAN 

Call  upon  the  god, 
For  he  shall  waken  him. 

2ND   WOMAN 

We  wait  thy  word. 
We  kneel  before  thee,  show  us  all  thy  might. 

SATAN 

O  Death,  yield  up  thy  dead,  I  conjure  thee, 
By  this  mine  immortality,  renew 
His  loveliness  to  light. 

QUEEN 

He  moves,  he  lives, 
No,  he  is  still,  so  strangely  still,  alas 
It  cannot  be,  beseech  the  god  for  me. 

CAPTAIN 
Is  not  a  god  omnipotent? 

72 


SATAN  UNBOUND 


SATAN 

Alas, 

I  weep  with  thee,  for  none  against  the  law 
Of  nature  shall  prevail. 

QUEEN 

0  Mockery, 

O  bitterness,  is  this  indeed  thy  gift  ? 
Why  hast  thou  come  to  torture  us  with  love  ? 
Hard  hate  was  not  so  pitiless.     The  sun 
Seems  fallen  from  the  sky,  my  day  is  dark. 
Give  me  my  child  again  or  take  my  curse. 

HIGH  PEIEST 

The  gods  are  wroth  with  us  and  so  chastise 
Our  vain  presumption.     Immortality 
The  fair  king  promised,  he  has  taught  us  death, 
Now  suddenly  death  seems  most  terrible, 
Death  that  was  but  an  end  has  darkened  life 
And  casts  its  fatal  shadow  o'er  the  flesh. 
He  is  no  god,  therefore  avenge  the  gods. 
He  whispered  wisdom,  all  his  wisdom  loosed 
The  sea  of  hatred,  let  it  sweep  him  hence. 

SATAN 

Not  in  a  day,  0  men,  not  in  a  day, 
But  through  eternity,  we  must  attain 
The  growing  love  that  works  for  good. 

73 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

QUEEN 

Enough ! 

Pluck  out  my  heart  and  harden  me  with  hate, 
For  sorrow  is  the  seed  of  love,  and  life 
A  seeking  which  shall  end  in  empty  death. 


HIGH   PRIEST 


Make  way  with  him! 


CAPTAIN 

Yea,  let  him  expiate, 

Disarm  him.     With  his  magic  sword,  O  Queen, 
Smite  him  who  smote  us. 

(Satan    lets    himself    be     disarmed, 
bound,  and  thrown  on  the  altar.) 

So  we  sacrifice 

Upon  the  altar  to  the  dreaded  god 
This  boaster. 

(Captain  stabs  him.) 

Conqueror,  hate  conquers  thee ; 
I  feared  thee,  know  my  fear  was  in  thy  flesh. 

74 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

HIGH  PRIEST 

I  worshipped  thee,  I  curse  thee  in  my  turn. 

(Each  in  turn  plants  his  dagger  in  the 
body  of  Satan  and  goes  out.  When 
the  stage  is  empty,  Satan  breaks 
his  bonds  and  comes  down  from 
the  altar,  the  daggers  fall  from 
him.) 

SATAN 

The  sword  of  solitude  alone  remains 

And  stabs  me  with  each  heartbeat,  woe  is  me. 

Out  of  love,  sorrow.     Out  of  knowledge,  sin. 

From  wisdom,  folly.     Immortality 

That  seeks  the  spirit,  falls  within  the  death 

Of  all  the  fragile  flesh.     Pain,  ever  pain, 

And  war  for  peace.     I  gave  them  of  mine  own 

The  fruits  of  happiness,  yet  suffering 

Is  all  they  reaped.     Alas,  what  have  I  done  ? 

The  night  steals  on,  the  leaves  are  murmurous, 

They  seem  to  call  me  softly.     Comfort  me, 

Ye  spirits  of  the  wind,  that  wakes  a  world 

To  music. 

VOICES 
Satan. 

75 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

Speak,  what  would  ye  say, 
Ye  voices  of  the  soft,  sweet-breathing  night  ? 

(Satan  tries  each  path  in  turn.) 

VOICES  (right  stage) 
Spirit  of  evil,  Satan,  hail,  all  hail. 

VOICES  (centre) 
Spirit  of  evil,  Satan,  hail,  all  hail. 

VOICES  (left  stage) 
Spirit  of  evil,  Satan,  hail,  all  hail. 

SATAN 

The  way  is  barred,  the  earth  gives  out  the  curse, 
I  hear  the  doom  of  dread  Destiny, 
And  all  I  do  shall  turn  to  hurt  and  harm, 
Till  good  grows  evil.     Whither  shall  I  turn  ? 
Where  hide,  and  how  escape  this  cruelty  ? 
What  though  through  pain,  and  senseless  suffering, 
I  walk  with  man  proclaimed  his  enemy, 
No  fate  shall  conquer  me,  nor  take  again 
From  out  man's  heart  the  mystic  dream  of  love, 
Nor  quench  the  thirst  of  knowledge  in  his  breast. 
Yet  though  they  heed  me  not,  and  see  not  me, 
These  gifts  are  mine,  desire,  discontent, 

76 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

To  goad  them  on  and  upward  toward  a  goal. 

They  shall  not  move  in  utter  ignorance, 

For  henceforth  they  are  haunted  with  my  dreams. 

Masters  they  shall  obtain,  and  slavery, 

Restraint  and  rulers  and  all  wretchedness, 

Mad  revolution,  riotous  revolt, 

Till  none  shall  brook  a  master  or  a  slave. 

Then  ye  shall  build  the  universe  of  love, 

Then  shall  ye  scale  the  heights  of  happiness, 

And  grow  in  godhead,  till  the  man  is  god. 

The  curse  ?     I  do  defy  the  curse,  and  cry 

O  Destiny,  I  too  am  Destiny. 

(Draws    his    sword    and   rushes    off 
stage.) 

CTJETAIN 


77 


ACT  II. 

A  ruined  castle  in  the  depths  of  a  dark  roclcy  valley 
that  forms  a  deep  hemi-cirde.  High  on  a  throne  built 
of  stone  piled  on  stone  sits  Satan,  a  multitude  in 
medieval  costumes  is  prostrated  before  him. 

THE  PEOPLE 

Hail,  Satan,  hail,  them  Prince  of  Evil,  hail. 

THE  COMRADE 

Thine  is  the  Kingdom  of  the  World,  and  thine 
The  hearts  of  men,  the  secret  hearts  of  hate. 
Thine  is  his  cunning,  thine  his  craft,  his  guile. 

PEOPLE 
Triumph  and  victory!     Hail,  Satan,  hail. 

COMRADE 

The  heavens  tremble  and  the  earth  is  bowed. 
The  gods,  the  changing  gods,  sink  one  by  one 
To  deep  oblivion,  like  falling  stars, 
And  are  dissolved  and  are  not  any  more. 
The  magic  of  thy  might  alone  endures. 

78 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

PEOPLE 

Hail,  Satan,  hail,  thou  Prince  of  Evil,  hail. 

SATAN 

All  ye  who  stab  my  solitude,  ye  men 
Who  multiply  my  mocking  loneliness, 
Numberless  nothings,  what  would  ye  of  me  ? 

PEOPLE 
Suffer  our  homage,  we  would  worship  thee. 

SATAN 

Dark,  dark  within  my  soul  enduring  night, 

I  may  not  see,  I  grope  about  in  vain ! 

What  man  am  I,  whence  came  I  here  and  why 

Enthroned  for  worship?     As  an  actor  reigns 

Illusion  of  illusions,  so  I  rule. 

Memory  like  a  ghost  that  haunts  me  flees, 

Betraying  me  again  to  passioned  pain. 

Immortal  doubts,  that  torture  mortals,  vex 

A  soul  that  'scapes  not  immortality. 

Oh,  that  this  self  would  scatter  drop  by  drop, 

Dissolve  within  the  sea  of  sleep,  and  be 

One  with  eternal  things  eternally. 

COMEADE 

Master  of  men,  behold  the  loveliness 

That  lifts  its  beauty  for  thy  praise.    Command 

79 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

The  dance,  and  heed  the  rhythm  of  delight. 
Full  sweet  it  is,  to  drift  along  the  maze 
Of  subtle  sense,  and  steep  the  baffled  soul 
In  brief  forgetfulness.     Our  Lord  is  sad, 
O  maidens,  weave  a  spell  to  snare  his  pain. 

(The    young    maidens    dance    before 
Satan.) 

SATAN 

Sorrow  knows  not  an  infidelity. 

Distraction  breeds  a  deeper  discontent, 

And  thought  alone  brings  peace  to  tortured  thought. 

In  vain  these  vanities. 

(Exit  maidens.) 

COMRADE 

Yet  turn  thine  eyes, 

Behold  these  night  hawks,  sorcerers  whose  spell 
So  strong,  so  subtle,  snares  men  to  thy  will, 
Mighty  with  mysteries  a  million  years 
Will  not  unveil,  they  mock  the  mind  of  man. 
Shall  not  their  science  soothe  thy  strife  ? 

SATAN 

Alas, 

In  vain  their  mummery.     I  suffer  on. 
Let  these  be  gone. 

•(Exit  sorcerers.) 

80 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

COMEADE 

Yet  venerable  men 

From  farthest  East,  and  out  of  distant  West, 
Await  thy  presence.     Let  them  pay  their  praise. 

SATAN 

Speak  each  in  turn  his  sum  of  foolishness, 
Some  word  may  waken  for  me  memory. 

THE  POET 

Hail,  Satan,  hail,  thou  Prince  of  Evil,  hail, 
For  I  will  hymn  thy  conquest  and  thy  fame, 
Poet  am  I,  thy  birthborn  enemy. 
Of  love  I  sang  and  of  the  heart  of  love, 
And  how  two  move  across  the  mystery 
Of  multitudes,  of  daring  distances, 
While  stars  and  seas,  attentive,  tremulous, 
With  mystic  music  murmur  as  they  march, 
And  meet  and  mingle,  one  with  Destiny. 
Then  lightly,  from  the  lips  of  loveliness, 
Came  laughter,  shattering  my  sacred  song. 
I  tuned  my  lyre  to  sing  of  liberty, 
I  shook  the  chains  of  men,  unbinding  slaves, 
While  tyrants  trembled,  tortured  in  their  turn. 
But  with  the  fetters  I  had  loosened  each 
Would  bind  his  brother,  while  the  multitude, 
The  many  mightier  than  were  the  few, 
Turned  freedom  unto  utter  tyranny. 

81 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Then  all  my  light  grew  darkness.     In  my  pain 

I  mocked  at  loveliness,  and  Beauty  heard 

And  light  Love  heeded.    Ribaldry,  I  sang, 

While  lovers  trooped  like  fawning  hounds  at  heel. 

The  smilingly  I  praised  the  power  of  kings, 

Proclaimed  the  secret  sense  of  slavery. 

I  knew  high  favor,  feted,  I  was  free 

And  grown  to  glory.     So,  the  lesson  learned, 

That  in  the  Universe  God's  part  is  small, 

And  Evil  has  the  triumph  of  all  time, 

I  therefore  in  thy  wisdom  have  prevailed, 

With  song  and  praise  I  glorify  thy  name. 

SATAN 

Enough,  his  harmony  is  discord.     Go! 

His  music  heals  me  not,  but  smites  my  soul 

So  scarred  with  suffering.     Priest,  have  thy  word. 

PEIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

Out  of  the  East  a  light,  and  we,  who  were 
The  torches  of  a  wisdom,  worshipped  long, 
Yea,  we  communed  with  all  high  holiness. 
We  ordered  days  and  dreams,  consulting  then 
With  stars  and  suns,  we  were  the  sanctified. 
We  peaceful,  placid,  like  a  Buddha  grown 
To  lowly  greatness,  tender  of  all  life 
That  flows  and  fills  the  changing  firmament, 
Wrought    toward    perfection.     We    through    love 

learned  love, 
High-hearted  hope,  and  healing  happiness. 

82 


SATAN  UNBOUND 


SATAN 

Ye  hail  me  Prince  of  Evil !     Wherefore  then 
Mock  ye,  and  whisper  thus  before  my  Throne  ? 

PEIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

Give  heed  and  hear,  we  walked  aside  with  God 
And  we  proclaimed  the  Prince  of  Peace.     We  sang 
No  mystery  unto  a  wondering  world, 
We  whispered  this,  the  Christ-word,  Brotherhood, 
The  word  of  God  made  man,  to  make  man  God. 

SATAN 

From  out  the  dark,  the  lightning  of  a  dream ! 
Say  on,  yet  much  I  marvel  what  ye  mean. 

PEIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

We  fasted,  and  we  fled  through  day  on  day, 

We  mocked  man's  folly,  yet  no  man  gave  heed, 

Or  listened  meaningly  to  us,  who  held 

The  key  of  life  and  death,  and  deathless  things. 

Then,  at  the  end  of  many  a  desert  year, 

Our  hands  were  empty  and  our  hollow  hearts 

Were  haunted  by  hard  hate,  and  pride  of  place. 

PEIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

We,  preaching  peace,  were  smitten  with  the  sword, 
Shepherding  wolves,  we  wearied.     We  divined 

83 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

The  wonder  of  a  power  to  oppress 
A  people  pitiless.     Then  taking  thought — 
The  sacred  truths,  the  secret  truths  of  man, 
Became  within  our  hands  a  subtle  snare, 
A  net  cast  craftily  about  the  soul ; 
For  man  more  fears  eternity  unknown 
Than  smiting  sword  and  sudden  biting  spear. 
We  bid  the  slaves  renounce,  resign  and  seek 
But  sacrifice,  submitting  to  our  will. 
We  nailed  Christ  on  a  dogma  crucified. 
He  found  a  heaven,  we  invented  hell. 

PEIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

So  fought  we  men  with  fear,  yea,  fearlessly 
We  set  a  yoke  upon  humanity ! 

PEIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

We  ruled  and  rule.     For  this,  O  Satan,  hail. 
Each  people  has  its  god,  each  god  its  day, 
But  we  remain  obscuring  God  and  cry — 

PEIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

Hail,  Satan,  hail,  triumphant  thou  of  time. 

SATAIT 

What  part  have  I  in  this,  and  what  in  these 
Who  weary  not  of  wretched  wickedness  ? 
Shall  all  these  shadows  shut  away  the  sun? 

84; 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

KING   OF   THE   EAST 

Hail,  King  of  Kings,  our  Kingdoms  bow  to  thee ! 

We  were  the  fathers  of  a  flock  who  fed 

With  equal  justice  all  our  children.     Lo! 

The  races  and  the  nations  in  revolt 

Called  us  old  gray  beards.    Greed  of  gain,  and  lust, 

And  hatred,  beat  within  the  blood  of  man. 

So  led,  we  were  their  leaders,  bared  the  sword, 

Dissension  sowing,  played  them  man  'gainst  man, 

And  smote  them  with  the  blade  of  fear  or  bribed 

The  bravest  with  debauchery  and  lust. 

Then  all  their  swords  upheld  the  sword  of  state, 

For  every  slave  holds  sacred  slavery, 

And  cries  himself  the  one  man  nobly  free. 

KING  OF  THE  WEST 

Thus  we  who  held  the  earth  in  fealty 
Do  homage,  Satan,  subject  to  thy  will. 

CAPTAIN 

I  lured  the  simple  from  the  soil,  and  sowed 
The  seed  of  hatred,  setting  men  at  strife 
Against  his  brother,  all  unknown,  unseen. 
So  war  awakened  war,  that  will  not  die, 
But  feeds  devouring  peace,  and  all  her  works, 
Imaginings,  inventions,  blood  and  brain. 
Thus  man,  who  would  not  harm  a  flying  fawn, 
Alone  so  gentle,  laughs  aloud  at  life, 
85 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

When  bandied  to  a  menace,  all  his  might 
Unslaked  in  strife  sets  on  to  slay  and  slay. 


SATAN 

And  ye  resplendent  with  the  glint  of  gold, 

What  men  are  ye  whom  Kings  and  Priests  salute  ? 

MERCHANT 

The  merchants  we,  the  marvels  of  thy  might ! 

For  us,  the  kings  in  bonden  slavery 

Have  scarred  the  earth  with  sword,  and  dragged 

the  sea. 

For  us  the  priests  strike  terror  to  the  soul, 
Disarm  the  daring  with  the  dread  of  death, 
That  slaves  may  starve,  and  strive  for  us  and  ours. 
Each  has  his  little  weight.    We  buy,  we  buy 
The  brain,  the  beauty  of  the  best.     We  sell 
Heart,  honor,  happiness.     King,  people,  priest 
Are  puppets  that  we  play  for  gold.     Rejoice! 
Gold  glittering,  gold  glorious,  thy  gold 
By  thee  once  given.     Thine  the  praise,  O  King ! 

SATAN 

Does  the  world  weigh  and  balance  'gainst  a  coin, 

A  hoop,  a  circle,  beaten  out  of  ore  ? 

It  were  a  thing  to  laugh  at,  if  'twere  true ! 

What  word,  oh  woman,  would  thy  homage  bring? 

86 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

COT7BTESAN 

0  King,  I  too  have  conquered  through  thy  guile. 

1  asked  but  love,  I  gave  but  tenderness, 
Then  man,  who  held  my  heart,  cried  out,  a  Toy ! 
And  like  a  child  he  broke  it  bit  by  bit, 
Despising  all  my  loveliness,  pursued 

And  valued  only  when  denied.     Through  pain 

Came  understanding  suddenly  to  me. 

Then  I  abased  myself,  the  secret  slave, 

Lips  lisping  love  I  lured  with  poisoned  lust ! 

I  gave  not  love,  I  took  of  glowing  gold 

And  hid  my  heart  that  all  hearts  should  be  mine. 

My  heart  that  sang  of  sorrow  now  is  still, 

Hushed,  hollow,  hidden.     Vengeance  is  avenged. 

But  me  none  master,  whatsoe'er  his  might 

No  man  escapes  the  secret  snare  of  sense. 

So  I  prevailed,  and  none  elude  my  lure. 

For  this  I  praise  thee. 

SATAN 

Yet  methinks  a  tear 

Has  trembled  for  this  tenderness  so  torn. 
Her  words  strike  chill,  and  in  my  heart  a  weight 
Of  weariness.     O  world,  is  this  thy  sum  ? 

POET 

Give  me  thy  subtlety  to  snare  with  song. 
87 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

PRIESTS 

Give  us  the  wiles  of  all  thy  wickedness. 

KINGS 

Give  us  thy  power  to  oppress  the  pride. 

MERCHANTS 

Protect  us  from  all  pitying  of  pain. 

COURTESAN 

Give  me  thy  beauty  and  thy  deep  disdain. 
Let  none  renounce,  revile  us  for  our  shame. 

POET 

Within  thy  glory  lies  our  glory,  slaves, 
We  seek  thy  service,  slaving  all  to  thee. 

SATAN 
(descending  the  throne) 

If  ye  be  slaves,  and  I  your  Master,  see 
The  might  of  me,  in  this  that  I  alone 
Hound  ye  and  hunt  ye  from  me,  who  despise 
Servitude,  hating  all  your  hatefulness; 
Ye  who  are  held,  and  I  whose  helplessness 
Has  harbored  ye. 

88 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

KING   OF    THE   EAST 

None  may  resist  his  wrath. 

KING  OF   THE  WEST 

His  might  is  master. 

PEIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

Let  us  then  devise 
Some  deeper  wickedness  to  please  his  will. 

MERCHANT 

We  are  unworthy,  flee ! 

ALL 

Hail,  Satan,  hail ! 

(Satan,  with  drawn  sword,  drives  them 
from  him.  Only  the  Comrade 
remains.) 

SATAN 

Are  these  then  men,  is  there  in  them  a  blood 
That  beats,  or  has  my  brain  brought  forth  this 

brood, 

These  doubts  and  these  disasters,  each  a  death 
Of  something  dear,  and  something  beautiful, 
Song,  worship,  force,  and  love  the  light  of  all  ? 
Am  I  become  that  Evil  ?     Is  there  then 

89 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

A  darkness  that  is  more  than  absent  light  ? 

Is  Death  a  living  thing  ?     Alas,  alas, 

The  anguish  of  an  immortality, 

Aching  along  the  yearning  of  my  years. 

I  conjure  ye,  ye  voices  of  the  night, 

Ye  little  leaves,  ye  waters  murmuring, 

Ye  starry  fields  unfolding  flowers  of  fire, 

Life-forging  forces,  ay,  I  conjure  ye, 

Dim  dreams,  that  haunt  me  with  delusive  dread, 

Whisper  the  meaning  of  me,  breathe  my  name, 

Echo  me  up  the  past,  what  man  am  I  ? 

COMEADE 

Satan,  remember,  and  recall  the  curse, 
O  sinning  slave  of  sacred  Destiny, 
Submit,  and  cease  the  cycle  of  thy  pain ! 

SATAN 

Now  wave  on  wave,  the  sea  of  memory 

Surges  about  me,  lifts  me,  sweeps  me  on 

Back  to  the  dawn  of  days.     The  dream,  the  dream 

Of  passionate  release  from  pulsing  pain, 

Of  perfect  peace. 

COMRADE 

The  secret  of  the  gods 
By  thee  was  given  to  man's  ignorance. 
See  what  a  world  has  wrought  and  weigh  it  well. 

90 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Man  has  undone  thy  might,  and  thou  alas, 
Art  fallen  to  his  flesh.     Nor  shall  his  soul 
Soar  upward  to  the  spirit  of  thy  dream. 
With  thee  came  sin,  submit  thee,  sacrifice. 

SATAN 
Is  there  a  ransom  ? 

COMBADE 

Listen  and  obey. 
Within  the  curse  is  hidden  the  escape. 

SATAN 

Is  there  an  end  to  anguish,  shall  I  heed 
The  little  murmur  of  a  mighty  joy  ? 
For  sorrow  makes  us  shy  of  suffering. 
I  dare  not.     Yet  say  on. 

COMRADE 

Weigh  well  my  words. 
Deny  the  truths  of  Destiny,  proclaim 
That  man  is  but  a  mortal,  ignorant, 
And  wisdom  but  a  weariness.     Again, 
Give  back  the  secrets  to  the  hidden  gods. 
For  what  avail  great  gifts  to  little  lives  ? 
In  recompense,  rule  thou  and  be,  in  truth, 
Evil  and  Prince  of  Evil.     Let  that  sin 
Which  is  elusion  be  reality. 
So  the  gods  triumph,  triumph  thou  in  turn ! 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

i 

Is  evil  not  triumphant,  people,  priest, 
Do  they  not  worship  wickedness  ? 

COMRADE 

And  yet, 

If  there  be  one  of  these,  but  only  one, 
Demanding,  and  desiring,  Destiny 
To  give  him  godhead,  he  shall  still  prevail. 
A  man's  dreams  are  immortal,  they  endure 
Within  the  matrix  of  Eternity, 
They  work  their  way,  and  are  brought  forth  in 

time. 

Consider  well  this  truce  and  wisely  choose, 
For  by  refusal,  doomed  art  thou,  until 
That  soul  who  knows  not  evil,  brings  release. 
What  cycles  then  of  aimless  cruelty 
Shall  capture  thee,  upon  thy  quest  in  vain  ? 

SATAN 

Smite  me,  and  sunder  me  with  suffering, 
I  will  go  forth  to  seek  that  soul.     Again, 
I  do  defy  the  gods  to  take  the  gift. 
Here  in  myself  I  will  absorb  each  sin, 
Each  suffering  that  plagues  the  race  of  man. 

COMRADE 

Woe,  woe  is  thee  and  me,  eternal  woe, 
Weeping  and  weariness  of  world  on  world ! 

92 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

The  surging  sea  will  sob  thy  suffering, 
Pulsating  in  thy  pain.     The  wild  winds  sigh, 
And  moan  about  the  mountains,  murmuring 
"  Pain,  ever  pain."     While  drop  by  drop,  the  rain 
Tender  and  tremulous  with  tears  will  seek 
The  bosom  of  the  earth.     So,  secretly, 
Spreads  sorrow  like  a  mist. 

SATAN 

Pain,  ever  pain! 
I  murmur  not,  let  come  what  may,  I  wait. 

(Enter  right  stage  a  Leper  clothed  in 
rags  and  covered  with  a  long  dusty 
coat,  a  staff  in  his  hand.) 

THE  LEPER 
Misery,  misery,  have  pity,  Prince! 

SATAN 
Who  art  thou,  speak  ? 

LEPEE 

My  body  is  a  wound 

That  scars  my  soul  with  ceaseless  suffering. 
I  live,  and  death  lives  in  my  leprosy. 
My  purse  is  poor. 

93 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

O  human  misery ! 

0  leper,  lost  to  loveliness,  whom  life 
Holds  hard  in  tyranny,  peace  be  with  thee. 
Give  me  thy  cloak,  so,  let  thy  flesh  have  faith ; 
Disorder,  and  disease,  and  discord  fear 

The  force  concealed,  the  force  we  may  reveal, 
Yet  understand  not.     Of  the  life  of  me, 

1  give  thee  life,  and  of  my  faith,  the  faith 
To  heal  thee.     Go,  thy  flesh  is  fair,  yet,  stay, 
For  I  will  take  upon  me  misery, 

And  poverty,  and  every  ill  of  man, 
To  expiate  all  human  ignorance. 

(He  casts  away  his  crown  and  clothes 
himself  in  the  Leper's  cloak,  chang 
ing  his  sword  for  the  Leper's  staff.) 

So  will  I  journey,  till  I  find  that  soul 
Who  knows  not  slavery,  who  knows  not  sin, 
Denying  evil,  who  demands,  with  me, 
Of  Destiny  divinity  for  man. 

(The  beggar  lingers.) 
"Not  gone,  not  grateful,  dumb,  for  all  this  good  ? 

LEPER 

The  greater  ill  remains,  the  deep  disease 
That  breeds  all  others,  see  my  purse  is  poor, 

94 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

So  lack  I  food  and  fortune,  heart  and  home, 
Permitted  only  for  a  price. 

(Satan  gives  him  money,  and  as  he 
fastens  Ms  wallet  the  Leper  steals 
his  purse.) 

A  fool! 

A  fair,  fond,  futile  fool ! 

Fool's  gold,  fool's  faith,  fool's  folly.    Best  away: 
The  saints  protect  me  from  his  evil  eye. 

(Exit  the  Leper  crossing  himself,  as  a 
crowd  rushes  in  left  stage  crying.) 

COMRADE 
Master,  what  canst  thou  make  of  man  ? 

SATAN 

A  god! 

COMRADE 

The  hosts  return,  let  them  not  see  thy  shame. 

(On  every  side  the  people  come  timidly 
forward.) 

Our  master  is  not  here. 

PRIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

Still  we  would  praise 
The  proud  perfection  of  his  power. 

95 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

KING  OF  THE  WEST  (seeing  Satan) 

Hist! 
A  beggar. 

POET 
Ouf !     A  beast. 

MERCHANT 

Go  not  too  near, 
He  breeds  pollution  in  our  feast. 

PKIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

Not  so, 

He  tells  our  triumph.    'Tis  a  holy  man 
To  be  so  plagued  with  every  poverty. 
Accost  him.     Father ! 

SATAN 

Friends,  where  am  I  come  ? 

KING  OF  THE  WEST 

In  Satan's  power. 

SATAN 

Who  may  Satan  be? 

POET 
Mockery ! 

96 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

MERCHANT 

Blasphemy! 

PEIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

Stupidity ! 

Worship  the  Prince  of  Evil,  he  who  reigns 

Above  the  earth,  within  the  heart  of  man. 

SATAN 
There  is  no  evil. 

PKIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

Satan,  Prince  of  Sin. 

SATAN 

There  is  no  sin. 

PEIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

What  then? 

SATAN 

This,  ignorance — ! 
While  veil  on  veil  obscures  the  growing  good. 

MEECHANT 

Out  on  him. 

PEIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

Who  is  Satan,  canst  thou  say  2 
97 


SATAN  UNBOUND 


SATAN 


Illusion  in  your  eyes,  he  in  whose  heart 
Is  understanding. 

POET 

Eiddles ! 

PRIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

Rank  revolt. 

God  even  to  the  goodly  is  not  great, 
Unless  he  be  at  strife  with  Satan,  sin. 

POET 

Worship  upon  thy  knees,  and  wander  on. 

(He  tries  to  force  Satan  to  his  knees.) 

SATAN 

I  bend  not,  bow  not. 

PEIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

Beggar,  who  art  thou  ? 

SATAN 

A  god  who  gropes  toward  greatness  like  thyself. 

MERCHANT 

Tell  us,  oh  wise  man,  each  what  fortune  waits. 
98 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

KING  OF  THE  WEST 

Behold  a  King  and  tremble. 

SATAN 

Thou  a  King? 
Who  canst  not  rule  thy  slightest  mad  caprice  ? 

KING  OF  THE  EAST 

A  King  whom  all  men  fear. 

SATAN 

And  this  I  say 

That  thou  in  turn  shalt  fear  all  men,  and  die 
Of  this  thy  fear,  dragged  down  and  down  and  down. 

KING  OF  THE  EAST 

A  living  insolence  that  merits  death! 

PRIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

What  fate  is  mine  ? 

SATAN 

I  see  the  worm  of  pride 

That  breeds  within  thy  heart,  thy  heart  'of  hate. 
I  see  thy  shadow  spread,  obscuring  God, 
And  yet  I  say  the  sun  at  last  shall  show 
Thine  emptiness. 

99 


SATAN  UNBOUND 


MERCHANT 


What  fate  is  mine  ? 
Though  these  men  vanish  ? 


SATAN 


Yet  a  poverty 

Is  in  thy  hungering  for  happiness, 
And  death  shall  steal  thy  gold,  and  time  destroy 
Thy  tribe  that  long  has  triumphed  over  men. 

COURTESAN 

And  I? 

SATAN 

Love  flees  thy  lure,  though  all  men  yield, 
Till  loathing  dispossesses  loveliness. 

PRIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

What  man  is  he  who  mocks  us  ? 

PRIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

We  are  poor 
Within  his  eyes,  diminished  in  our  own. 

POET 

What  canst  thou  know  of  us,  or  Destiny  ? 
100 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

Who  may  discern  the  hidden  hand  of  Fate, 
Or  what  wild  way  the  sudden  turning  leads, 
Or  in  what  ambush  lurks  the  fatal  foe  ? 
In  riches,  desolation,  poverty, 
And  dread  disease,  unmake  the  force  of  man. 
Therefore  let  arrogance  not  bid  ye  mock, 
Yet  in  thy  pride  remember  that  the  stars, 
And  every  force  that  fills  the  firmament, 
Attend  thy  going  out,  thy  coming  in. 

POET 

If  these  men  be  not  great,  O  little  man, 
What  then  is  greatness  ? 

MERCHANT 

Question  not  a  fool. 

SATAN 

Nothing  is  little,  nothing  great,  for  each 
Holds  in  its  fragments  something  of  the  whole, 
And  through  the  finest  fibre  flows  each  force 
That  ebbs,  and  emanates,  and  is  the  god. 

POET 

Out,   out  on  him.     He   shall   be   judged.     Thy 
name? 

(Satan  draws  himself  up  as  if  to  dom 
inate  them.  Hunting  horns  sound 
in  distance.) 

101 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

Satan ! 

POET 

Avenge  the  gods  this  blasphemy. 


(Satan  with  his  staff  tries  to  drive  the 
multitude  from  him.  He  is  easily 
disarmed  and  thrown  on  his  knees  J 

SATAN 

What,  aim  I  prisoner  of  misery? 

Is  my  might  fallen  in  this  feeble  flesh  ? 

POET 
The  hunt,  the  hunt,  a  living  foe  for  prey  I 

KING  OF  THE  EAST 

A  spear. 

MEECHANT 

A  lash! 

CAPTAIN 

An  arrow ! 

PEIEST  OF  THE  EAST 

Nay,  a  crown ! 
102 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

PBIEST  OF  THE  WEST 

A  mitre ! 

ALL 

Satan,  hail,  defend  thee,  Prince ! 

(During  this  scene  the  hunting  horns 
have  come  nearer  and  nearer.  The 
hunters  rush  across  the  stage, 
joined  by  the  crowd.  Satan  lashed 
on,  goaded  by  spear  and  sword,  is 
slowly  driven  out.} 

POET 

Hound  on,  and  bait  him,  let  the  death  cry  be : 
Satan,  thou  Prince  of  Evil,  hail,  all  hail ! 

(The  hunting  horns  sound  the  death. 
The  stage  is  left  empty  for  an  in 
stant,  excepting  for  the  Comrade, 
who  cowers  by  the  throne.  Satan, 
wounded  and  bleeding,  returns  and 
falls  at  the  foot  of  the  throne.) 

COMEADE 

O  Satan,  yield  thee  unto  Fate,  be  wise, 
No  god,  no  man,  shall  conquer  Destiny. 
Eepent  and  be  thou  King,  and  reign  again. 
Become  that  evil  which  is  triumphant. 

103 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN  (raising  himself  painfully) 
I  curse  thee,  get  thee  hence. 

(The  Comrade  leaves  him  sorrowfully. 
In  the  distance  the  hunting  horns 
sound  joyfully,  the  multitude 
rushes  across  the  stage  crying, 
"  Hail,  Satan,  Prince  of  Evil, 
hail!") 

Pain,  ever  pain! 

CUETAIN 


104 


ACT  III. 

Early  morning,  just  before  dawn,  in  a  cemetery  in 
Paris.  The  towers  of  the  city  are  seen  in  the  distance. 
Bade  stage  a  high  wall.  Right  stage  a  marble  vault. 
Centre  stage  a  freshly  made  grave.  Here  and  there 
cypress  trees.  Left  stage  a  path.  Discovered  Satan,  a 
very  old  man  clothed  in  modern  rags.  He  wanders 
from  grave  to  grave  as  if  vainly  seeking  an  escape  from 
life.  During  the  scene  the  stage  brightens  until  at  the 
end  of  the  act  there  is  full  sunrise. 

SATAN 

We  drift  and  drift,  yet  may  not  sink  or  die, 

Nor  harbor  and  be  gone,  but  on  and  on 

With  secret  currents,  or  resistless  wind, 

We  wander  from  the  wherefore  to  the  why. 

Is  there  a  goal,  is  there  a  sudden  sleep, 

Is  there  a  bourn  to  all  this  bitterness  ? 

And  we,  what  make  we  here  ?     If  this  alone, 

Hope  held  to  beacon  us,  that  day  by  day 

We  sow  some  secret  seed,  which  Fate  shall  tend, 

And  flower  into  human  happiness ; 

Else  were  our  life  a  futile  mockery, 

And  immortality  a  dream, 

Holding  us  helpless  in  our  ignorance. 

105 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Cycles  and  cities  change,  and  centuries, 

The  wheel  of  time  revolves,  and  turn  by  turn 

Come  ancient  and  forgotten  vanities, 

Yet  no  new  thing  of  beauty  or  of  joy. 

A  people's  hecatomb  of  history 

Leaves  but  a  cloud  of  dust  to  mark  its  day ; 

And  as  the  race,  the  man,  his  morning  spent 

In  passionate  acquiring.     Pence  on  pence 

He  piles,  and  wrangles  wretchedly  for  gold, 

As  sordid  urchins  bicker  in  the  dust. 

Gloated  at  last,  from  lust  to  lust  he  goes, 

And  poisoning  with  pleasure  drugs  his  days, 

From  luxury  to  luxury  allured, 

So  do  the  nations  and  the  man  decay, 

Heedless  of  life,  and  every  whispering  force 

That  breathes  about  him,  softly  murmuring 

Mysteries  of  his  own  immortal  might. 

O  night,  wherein  all  things  await  the  day, 

Mine  eyes  are  dark,  I  suffer  on  and  on, 

Yet  loosen  not  the  sum  of  suffering — 

What  shapes  of  sorrow  seek  me,  what  are  ye  ? 

(During  this  scene  four  Phantoms 
have  come  sloivly  from,  behind  the 
trees  where  they  stand  peering  at 
Satan.  They  are  the  famous 
rebels,  Socrates,  Brutus,  Mirabeau 
and  Washington.) 


106 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

1ST  PHANTOM 

We  are  not  men  but  memories  of  men, 
Illusive  apparitions  that  remain. 
In  death  we  die  not,  having  dreamed  thy  dream 
Of  immortality. 

SATAN 

Why,  this  is  well. 

1ST  PHANTOM 

We  anguish  on,  like  shadows  of  a  life 
Existing,  yet  we  live  not,  hour  by  hour 
We  curse  thee,  we,  alas,  who  may  not  die, 
We  who  endure ! — 

SATAN 
What  would  ye  then  of  me  ? 

2ND  PHANTOM 

Make  us  as  mortals,  give  us  once  again 
The  sudden  sleep  of  death. 

BED  PHANTOM 

Take  back  thy  lie 
And  cry  there  is  no  immortality. 
107 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

1ST  PHANTOM 

Pity  our  helplessness,  too  great  the  dream ; 
Yea,  give  us  death  indeed.     We  are  but  men, 
Earth  of  the  earth. 

SATAN 

Are  ye  not  dead  indeed, 
A  living  image  of  that  nothing,  Death, 
How  know  ye  that  ye  live? 

1ST  PHANTOM 

In  that  we  suffer,  life  is,  this  we  know. 

SATAN 

Each  drop  of  blood  weeps  pity  in  my  veins, 
Mine  eyes  are  tears  that  hide  from  me  the  light. 

1ST  PHANTOM 

Deny. 

2ND  PHANTOM 

Absolve  me  from  the  sin  of  hope. 

SKD  PHANTOM 
Cursed  thy  gift  and  thy  revolt. 

SATAN  (shrinking  from  them) 

Away ! 
Ye  vain  temptations,  ye  disastrous  doubts. 

103 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

1ST  PHANTOM 

Drive  us  not  forth. 

SATAH" 

What  men  in  life  were  ye  ? 

2ND  PHANTOM 

We  were  the  rebels. 

3RD  PHANTOM 

Each  man  in  his  day 
Lifted  the  torch  of  freedom  in  his  land, 
And  stabbed  at  slavery  of  heart  or  hand. 

2ND  PHANTOM 

Men  called  me  Brutus,  Caesar  I  laid  low 

And,  slaying  friendship,  smote  his  heart  and  mine 

At  one  fell  blow.     Rome,  what  of  Rome  to-day  ? 

Is  there  not  still  a  Caesar,  still  a  slave  ? 

If  Caesar's  virtues  die,  his  vice  lives  on, 

And  little  men  make  mighty  with  a  crown, 

Parcelling  power. 

SATAN 

What  deed  for  men  did  ye  ? 
109 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

3RD  PHANTOM 

Am  I  not  he  who  to  the  march  of  kings 

Triumphant  in  their  tyranny  cried :  "  Halt," 

So  that  no  King  again  shall  dare  be  king, 

But  wears  alone  the  show  of  royalty 

As  actors  may,  oft  trembling  at  night 

To  hear  the  wind  that  whispers,  "  Mirabeau!  " 

What  of  my  deed,  alas,  what  of  my  day, 

For  revolution  riotous  with  blood 

Blotted  out  freedom,  rivers  running  red 

Wrote  on  the  earth  the  name  Napoleon. 

So  slavery  leads  on  to  slavery. 


4TH  PHANTOM 

I  lighted  men  to  long-loved  liberty, 

Kingless  and  crownless,  still  a  conqueror 

Baptized  with  blood  a  nation  blessed  at  birth, 

Freemen  within  a  land  for  ever  free. 

They  of  their  greatness,  grinding  gold  on  gold, 

Fashioned  a  Moloch  for  their  worshipping. 

They  sweat,  they  groan,  they  toil,  they  strive,  they 

slave, 

Each  man  oppresses  each,  and  over  all 
The  multiple,  the  mighty  multitude, 
With  prejudice  and  passion,  snare  on  snare, 
Binding  their  brothers,  shout  the  old  refrain 
Arrogant,  crying:  We  alone  are  free! 

110 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

1ST  PHANTOM 

Suffer  us  then  to  die,  and  cease  the  dream. 

2ND  PHANTOM 

For  we  are  damned,  defying  Destiny. 

3RD  PHANTOM 

Where  is  the  man,  the  nation  that  is  free  ? 

4TH  PHANTOM 

Lies,  lies  that  lead  us,  idly  on  and  on, 

We  who  have  seen  the  dream  that  will  not  die. 

SATAN 

Each  word  is  like  a  wound  where  poison  burns 
And  tortures.     Shall  I  slay  their  hope,  deny, 
Submit,  and  sleep  beyond  the  strife  of  sense, 
Or  dare  despair  ?     Are  these  then  of  my  brain  ? 
Doubts  that  would  dwindle  me,  for  well  I  know 
No  god,  nor  world  of  gods,  nor  master  men 
Destroy  a  man,  unless  he  smite  himself 
With  soul  surrender. 

1ST  PHANTOM 

Satan,  give  us  peace. 
Ill 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

2ND  PHANTOM 

Deny. 

Let  man  be  man,  submitted  animal, 

Vain  hope  of  wisdom,  immortality. 

PHANTOM 

We  wait  thy  word,  we  would  revolt  no  more, 
But  sink  to  senselessness  and  henceforth  sleep. 

SATAN 

A  man's  doubts  are  his  foes  and  with  decay 
Like  worms  they  work  within,  undoing  all. 
I,  do  I  doubt,  or  have  my  tears  obscured 
The  light  within,  and  hid  the  world  without. 
Better  I  say  the  dream,  if  but  a  lie, 
Than  sworded  truth  if  it  were  truth  indeed. 

BED  PHANTOM 
The  world  of  wretchedness  denies  thy  truth. 

4TH  PHANTOM 

Man  is  man's  master,  fate  the  foe  of  all. 

SATAN 

The  dream,  the  dream,  is  all  a  mockery, 
Vain  aspiration,  vain  each  winged  hope ! 
Or  is  not  thus  the  sole  reality, 
The  matrix  and  the  nucleus,  this  dream 

112 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Born  of  our  brains,  our  being,  freed  and  free 
And  deathless,  doomed  to  life  when  we  are  fled  ? 
And  yet,  and  yet —  ?     I  will  not  doubt  the  dream, 
I  who  trust  not  the  doubt.     Ye  shapes,  begone! 

SBD  PHANTOM 

We  lived  in  vain,  and  vainly  did  we  die. 

We  gave  our  blood,  we  shed  men's  blood  in  vain. 

SATAN 

Ever,  for  ever  blood,  so  have  ye  doomed 
Unto  disaster  all  that  ye  would  do. 
With  violence  none  conquers  violence. 
With  hate  man  fathers  hate. 

SED  PHANTOM 

Shall  not  a  man 
Hate  evil,  smite  a  tyrant  with  revenge  ? 

SATAN 

So  ye  disarm  the  foe,  and  so  become 
The  foe  to  freedom,  falling  on  the  sword 
That  armed  the  enemy.     Thus  ye  in  turn 
Are  conquered,  never  conquerors.     Kevolt  ? 
Ye  have  not  known  revolt,  ye  little  men, 
A  prey  to  passion,  smiting  pain  with  pain. 
Conquest  corrupts  the  conqueror.     And  ye, 
Alas,  ye  see  not,  this  the  truth,  the  truth 
113 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

That  he  who  stabs  his  hated  enemy 

Smites  something  sacred  in  himself,  and  wounds 

Humanity.     Which  one  is  clear  of  blood  ? 

Let  him  stand  forth,  to  him  I  will  reply. 

Then  let  him  judge  of  me,  and  of  my  dream, 

Of  my  rebellion.     Unto  him  I  say, 

Out  of  the  humble  shall  come  forth  the  great, 

And  everywhere  the  moving  multitude 

Shall  wake  and  wonder,  "  Lo,  I  am  a  man, 

"  My  master,  and  my  brother's  brother,"  so 

Eevolt  shall  come,  revolt  and  discontent 

That  seeks  some  higher  self,  on,  on  and  on. 

SRD  PHANTOM 
Alas,  alas,  this  too  is  but  a  dream. 

(In    the    distance    is   heard    a    faint 
music.) 

SATAN 

Why,  look  ye,  this  is  all  a  man  may  do : 
Dream  nobly,  nobly  do  and  ask  no  more, 
Neither  result,  reward,  nor  recompense, 
These  come  not  in  a  day,  no  thing  is  lost, 
And  loveliness  leads  on  to  loveliness. 


It  is  enough. 


BED  PHANTOM 
The  dawn ! 
114 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

4TH  PHANTOM 

Away,  away ! 

(The  Phantoms  vanish,  the  stage 
lightens.  The  music  comes  nearer.) 

SATAN 

A  music,  and  a  murmur  as  of  light 
Breaks  in  upon  my  night,  some  secret  song 
Accompanies  my  words  and  wings  them  on, 
Saying  that  which  I  would  might  be,  alas, 
If  that  it  might  be.     Pain,  for  ever  pain. 
And  yet  the  night  is  but  the  womb  whereof 
A  new  day  and  a  new  joy  shall  be  born. 
Is  not  the  sun  a  symbol  that  the  dark 
Must  droop  and  die  ?     Disaster  and  despair 
Yield  to  the  light  ?     Behold  how  ray  on  ray, 
As  little  waves  leap  up  along  the  shore, 
Floods  all  the  darkness.     Like  a  breath  of  dawn 
A  maiden  moves  across  this  place  of  death. 

(A  working  girl  comes  down  the  path; 
she  carries  in  one  hand  a  humble 
bunch  of  flowers  and  on  one  arm 
a  lunch  basket.  She  goes  forward 
toward  the  new-made  grave  without 
seeing  Satan.) 

I  would  not  with  my  weariness  destroy 
The  freshness  of  her  fragrant  faith  in  life. 

115 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Yet  I  would  speak  with  her  and  know  her  heart. 
Maiden,  be  not  afraid. 


MAIDEN 


Why  should  I  fear, 

The  poor  are  rich  in  pity  toward  the  poor ! 
I  come  to  lay  upon  a  comrade's  grave 
A  flower. 


SATAN 

On  my  life  thy  loveliness 

Has  laid  its  healing  beauty.    He  who  died 

Was  loved,  and  yet  no  sorrow  stains  thy  face  ? 

MAIDEN 

Peace  is  with  him,  with  me,  for  well  he  died 
In  strife  for  peace,  a  workman  smitten  down 
Opposing  all  oppression,  war  and  death. 
So  dying,  he  has  bought  for  others  bread, 
A  crumb,  but  crumb  by  crumb  we  knead  the  loaf 
Till  none  shall  hunger,  none  shall  be  afraid. 

SATAN 

She  cries  not  out  against  her  pain,  nor  weeps 
In  wild  revolt. 

MAIDEN 

But  you,  what  do  you  here  ? 
Deep  in  the  damp,  poor  stranger,  come  away. 

116 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

I  am  a  wanderer,  no  home  is  mine. 

MAIDEN 

How  weak,  how  wretched,  take  this  bread  and  eat, 
This  wine.     I  have'  not  more  to  give,  alas, 
Slight  fare,  my  noonday  meal,  but  sweeter  shared. 

SATAN 

Come  not  so  near,  beware  of  me,  behold 

These  wounds  and  these.     Know  you  not  evil  comes 

To  him  who  gives  out  goodness  ? 

MAIDEN 

Sorrow  shared 
Is  sorrow  halved,  and  heals  the  heart  that  gives. 

SATAN 
I  have  such  need 

MAIDEN 

What  then  is  lacking  most  ? 

SATAN 

Life !     In  my  flesh  there  rages  living  death. 
I  am  a  leper,  in  the  times  gone  by 

117 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

A  child's  blood,  so  men  said,  would  cure  this  ill. 

What  if  I  sprang  upon  thee,  with  my  teeth 

Tore  from  thy  flesh  the  blood  to  cleanse  my  pain  ? 

(The  Maiden  wonderingly  bares  her 
arm  and  holds  it  out  to  him.) 

No  tremor  tells  of  fear. 


MAIDEN 

Drink  life  again. 

SATAN 

O  child,  take  back  the  sacred  sacrifice. 

MAIDEN 
There  is  no  pleasure  such  as  healing  pain. 

SATAN 

She  fears  not  evil  and  she  knows  not  sin. 
Is  this  not  still  some  snare  of  suffering, 
Or  shall  she  bring  me  ransom  and  release  ? 
Still  must  I  prove  her. 

MAIDEN 

What  thing  may  I  do, 

What  else  is  lacking,  stranger  ? 

118 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

Search  my  face, 
Am  I  a  mortal  ? 

MAIDEN 

Why,  a  man,  what  else  ? 

SATAN 

Look  well  upon  me,  I  am  he  men  hate, 
The  spirit  of  all  evil,  hatred's  self. 

MAIDEN 

Sorrow  and  suffering  will  scar  the  soul, 
Distort,  disform  the  very  mind  of  man, 
And  happiness  alone  can  heal  a  man 
And  make  him  holy.     Stranger,  let  us  go. 

SATAN 
Go? 

MAIDEN 

Come  with  me,  although  my  home  be  small 
It  is  thy  shelter. 

SATAN 

I!     I  share  thy  home? 
I  have  no  part  in  thy  humanity. 
Nor  man,  nor  god  am  I,  but  one  whose  name 

119 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Has  ruled  the  centuries,  Satan,  a  force, 
The  spirit  of  all  evil,  and  the  soul 
Of  evil  through  the  ages,  in  revolt 
Against  the  jealous  force  of  Destiny. 

MAIDEN  (laughing  indulgently) 

Satan  ?    A  myth  of  priestcraft,  and  a  snare 
For  cringing  crowds. 

SATAN 

And  evil,  is  that  too 

A  myth,  the  hurt  man  does  to  man,  the  pain  ? 
Is  this  not  evil  ? 

MAIDEN 

Only  ignorance, 
Deep  ignorance  of  good. 

SATAN 

Her  words  like  balm 
Drop,  healing  me  of  life  and  all  its  wounds. 

MAIDEN 

Yet  once  a  man  awoke  and  dared  a  dream, 
Revolting  at  the  littleness  of  man, 

120 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Demanding  from  the  hand  of  Destiny 
Wisdom  and  knowledge  of  the  good  and  ill. 
He  fell,  as  blinded  by  a  light  too  great 
For  unawakened  eyes.     Yet  all  things  grow 
And  come  in  season.     So  this  too  shall  be, 
And  every  force  be  subject  to  man's  soul, 
For  in  and  through  him  grows  the  only  good. 

SATAN 
What  thing  is  needful  for  a  man  to  do  ? 

MAIDEN 

Set  ye  a  smile  upon  your  lips  to  see 

The  follies  of  mankind.     Shed  ye  a  tear, 

A  tear  of  tenderness,  for  all  their  pain, 

In  pity  of  the  evil  that  they  do. 

Rebel  against  all  human  misery, 

Demanding  joy  for  all,  for  all  delight. 

Impatient  of  perfection,  on  and  on, 

Each  peacefully  toward  peace  pursue  the  dream. 

SATAN 

A  sudden  joy  has  slain  my  suffering, 

And  I  grow  weak  to  know  my  freedom  near. 

MAIDEN 

Lean  all  thy  weariness  upon  my  strength. 
121 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

Immortal  sight  is  mine,  this  thing  I  know — 
I  too  am  Destiny,  and  must  prevail. 
So  pain  and  discord  and  revolt  drive  on 
A  man  to  seek  some  better  state,  some  goal. 
The  dream  to-day,  to-morrow  lives  and  leads 
On,  on  and  on ;  so  I,  I  too  have  been 
A  working  and  a  way  of  Destiny. 

(The  music  which  has  from  time  to 
time  come  nearer  bursts  out  with 
full  force  now,  bringing  the  voices 
of  a  multitude  of  men  singing  the 
Internationale.) 

What  march  of  men  is  trembling  the  earth, 
What  song  is  pulsing  life,  what  joy  is  near  ? 


MAIDEN 

The  humble,  the  high-hearted  who  with  hope 
War  against  war,  opposing  pride  with  peace, 
And  calling  the  oppressor  brother,  come 
To  pay  a  tribute  to  the  Comrade's  grave. 
They  sing  the  song  of  life,  of  liberty. 

(The  workmen,  in  their  everyday 
clothes,  are  seen  coming  down  the 
path.  Satan,  realizing  that  his 
task  is  done,  slips  to  the  earth.) 

122 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

SATAN 

Let  thy  lips  sweeten  sleep,  my  time  is  come. 

(With  the  help  of  the  maiden  he 
struggles  to  his  feet.} 

Not  thus,  but  as  a  conqueror  I  rise 
To  greet  the  future,  and  the  victory. 

(Satan  dies,  standing,  as  the  song  stops 
abruptly;  when  the  men  see  him, 
they  come  forward  as  he  slips  to 
the  ground  from  the  maiden's 
arms.) 

A  WORKMAN 

What  man  is  this  ? 

MAIDEN 

What  matters  it,  a  man, 
Bury  in  him  all  human  suffering, 
And  set  your  faces  to  salute  the  dawn. 

(While  certain  workmen  force  open  the 
gate  of  the  vault,  others  lift  Satan 
tenderly  and  place  him  within  the 
vault.  They  stand  with  bare  heads 
about  the  humble  grave  of  the 
workman,  and  each  lays  on  it  a 
•flower.  Absolute  silence  for  a 
moment,  and  then,  as  if  suddenly 

123 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

wakening,  they  pick  up  their 
shovels  and  pickaxes  and  shoulder 
ing  them,  start  off  towards  their 
work  singing  to  the  music  of  the 
Internationale  the  following  song.) 

COMRADES 

Comrades,  a  hymn  of  our  hopeful  humanity, 
Father  of  all  of  the  gods  of  the  future, 
Neither  a  song  for  the  idle  nor  cowardly 
Lurking  in  luxury,  hidebound  in  prejudice ; 
Nay,  but  a  song  for  our  children's  own  children, 
Wiser  than  we  who  are  weak  in  our  wondering. — 
Facing  the  foe,  we  combative,  provocative, 
Peaceful  and  passionate,  bountiful  builders. 
Ever  rebellious,  and  ever  revolting, 
We  discontented  with  all  but  perfection, 
Levelling  caste,  yea  and  lifting  the  lowliest ; 
Breaking  the  barriers,  bursting  the  boundaries. 
Knowing  not  nations,  nor  class  in  its  crippling, 
Woman  as  man  sacred,  sanctified,  beautiful, 
Comforting,  even  compelling  with  brotherhood, 
Scoffing  denial,  assertive  and  clamorous, 
Hateful  of  hatred,  and  loving  all  loveliness, 
Damning  the  sin,  and  the  sorrow  of  suffering, 
Riotous  toward  resignation  and  sacrifice, 
Wresting  from  nature,  our  mother,  our  murderer, 
Life  for  the  living,  delight  and  the  joy  thereof! 
Healing  the  heart  of  man's  hate  with  our  happiness, 

124 


SATAN  UNBOUND 

Seeking  the  God  that  is  deep  in  the  depths  of  us — 
Groping  and  growing  toward  greatness,  in  little 
ness, 

We  who  are  chanting  the  hymn  of  humanity, 
Hearing  the  wind  of  the  world  whisper,  "  Com 
rades!" 

CURTAIN 


125 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  AT  LOS  ANGELES 

THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


31  1981! 


LD4JW 

3  1972 


Form  L-9 
20m -1,' 42(8519) 


IWIVER8ITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

AT 

LQS  ANGELES 
UBRAJRY 


A    000  929  595    7 


1 


